Mr. Editor,—­In the parish church in which I officiate are preserved four ancient and curious alms-basins, of latten; They appear to be of Flemish workmanship, and, from inventories of the church goods, made at different times, we may gather that they were given for their present use during the seventeenth century.  They represent:—­1.  The Martyrdom of St. Sebastian; 2.  The Annunciation of the Blessed Virgin; 3.  The Temptation in Eden; and 4.  The Spies bearing the Grapes.  Around each of these subjects is a legend in foreign characters, “DER.  INFRID.  GEHWART.”  I have submitted this inscription to antiquaries and German scholars in vain; it still remains a puzzle.  It has been suggested that it may have been only an arbitrary mark of the maker.  Is this probable?  If not, will you, or one of your readers, give the interpretation to

CLERICUS?

Nov. 8, 1849.

[We have much pleasure in inserting the foregoing QUERY, and trust that many of our correspondents will follow the example of Clericus, by furnishing us with copies of the inscriptions on any ancient church plate in their possession, or which may come under their notice.  A comparison of examples will often serve to remove such difficulties as the present, which perhaps may be read DERIN FRID GEHWART, “Therein Peace approved;” Gewaeren being used in the sense of Bewaehren, authority for which may be found in Wackernagel.]

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NOTES OF BOOK SALES—­CATALOGUES, ETC.

It is our purpose from time to time to call the attention of our book-buying friends to the approaching sales of any collections which may seem to us to deserve their attention; and to any catalogues which may reach us containing books of great rarity and curiosity.  Had we entertained no such intention we should have shown our respect for the memory of that intelligent, obliging, and honourable member of the bookselling profession (to whom a literary man rarely addressed a QUERY, without receiving in reply a NOTE of information worth preserving), the late Mr. Thomas Rodd, by announcing that the sale of the first portion of his extensive and valuable stock of books will commence on Monday next, the 19th instant, and occupy the remainder of that week.

The following Lots are among the specimens of the rarities contained in this portion of Mr. Rodd’s curious stock:—­

  189 ACTS OF PARLIAMENT, Orders, Declarations,
        Proclamations, &c. 1657 to 1660, the original
        Papers and Broadsides collected and bound in
        1 vol. calf 1657-60

  *** This very important volume contains the Acts, &c.
        during the period intervening between Scobell’s
        Collection and the recognized Statutes of
        Charles II.  As the laws during this period
        have never been collected into a regular edition,
        a series of them is of the greatest rarity.