The volume is printed with the original language and spelling preserved, and is illustrated with a woodcut frontispiece of a fisherman taken from de Worde's 1518 edition that is cited as the earliest known depiction of an angler fishing with a rod, as well as with six woodcuts (provided at the back of the volume in the form of four plates) showing types of poles, hooks, etc. The title-page proclaims this as printed with the types of John Baskerville, making it one of the last such printings done in England, and most cataloguing follows suit; but Kelly identifies the font used as the elegant "Fry" Baskerville variant developed by typefounder Isaac More.

Evidence of Readership:  A later hand has helpfully added pencilled marginalia clarifying archaic or obscure terms and suggesting subject headers.

•  NSTC 2B20037; Keynes, Pickering, 42; Kelly, Checklist of Books Published by William Pickering, 1827.1 (p. 21).  Later half calf and marbled paper–covered sides, spine with gilt-stamped leather title-label, gilt-decorated raised bands, and gilt-stamped fishing creel devices in compartments; spine label with small edge chips and mild rubbing to paper. Pencilled annotations as above, pages and plates otherwise pleasingly clean.  (28566)

•  Keynes p. 49. Not in Kelly, Checklist of Books Published by William Pickering.   Publisher's green cloth, spine sunned to olive and pulled with a little loss at head. Text block split at center, though firm in binding; text clean. Withall a good copy.  (40242)

This copy uncut and in original boards: RARE THUS.

•  NSTC 2B20037; Keynes, Pickering, 42; Kelly, Checklist of Books Published by William Pickering, 1827.1 (p. 21). Beyond the scope of Gaskell, Baskerville.   Publisher's dun-colored light boards. Uncut copy. Light overall rubbing; spine with minor loss of paper. Old bookseller's description affixed to front free endpaper; small oval stain to corner of half-title and frontispiece, a bit of light offsetting from plates. A very nice copy in a later open-back cardboard slipcase.  (30461)

Binding:  19th-century crushed midnight blue morocco, round spine with four raised bands forming five spine compartments, four of which are further defined by a single gilt rule on four sides and have each a gilt floral device in the center; each band accented with gilt beading. Author and title gilt in the fifth compartment and at base of bottom compartment, in gilt, place and date of publication. Both boards with a simple gilt triple-fillet border, board edges with a single gilt fillet, turn-ins gilt-tooled with an intricate roll. Endpapers of a French combed-up pattern.

Provenance:  From the library of American collector Albert A. Howard, small booklabel (“AHA”) at rear.

Renouard opines: “Mince volume devenu rare.”

•  EDIT 16 CNCE 13162; Index Aurel. 144.003; Renouard, Alde, 152:14; Adams C2431; UCLA, Aldine Press: Catalogue of the Ahmanson-Murphy Collection (2001), 405; Kallendorf & Wells, Aldine Press Books, 348; Ebert, Allgemeines bibliographisches Lexikon, 5036; Schwerdt, I, 118.   Binding as above. A very nice copy in all respects.  (37914)

•  Forster 32; Toy 156.   Publisher's brown cloth, covers stamped in blind, spine with gilt-stamped title; edges and extremities slightly rubbed, spine with small spots of discoloration. Pages faintly age-toned, otherwise clean; a nice copy.  (33301)

WorldCat locates only eight copies of this second edition, including one in the library of the American Kennel Club.

Provenance:  From the library of American collector Albert A. Howard, small booklabel (“AHA”) at rear.

•  Not in Ing.   Publisher’s quarter olive paper over blue boards, with paper spine label; edges rubbed, corners bumped, and spots/soiling to boards. Page edges untrimmed. Minimal, faint spotting to interior; pages mildly cockled; semi-puncture to margin of pp. xi–xvi, corner of one leaf folded in twice. A solid and pleasant copy, in unaltered guise, of this early dog training manual.  (37913)

Binding:  Publisher's brick-colored cloth, front cover with cream medallion stamped in gilt and silver, in silver- and gold-stamped frame with corner fleurons, spine and back cover repeating the corner fleuron motifs. Top edges gilt. Silk bookmark detached but laid in.

•  Binding as above; spine foot chipped, corners rubbed, otherwise fresh and bright inside and out. In fact a lovely little volume, with both the gold and the silver, i.e., aluminum, shine extraordinarily bright and clear. (41288)

While suffering from financial difficulties throughout his life, Frewen continually worked with influential people, many of whom are here discussed in detail, including his wife Clara Jerome, aunt of Winston Churchill. One way and another there is plenty of huntin', shootin', and fishin'; and there are plenty of politics.

Provenance:  A tantalizing “Wealdside 1924” in ink on the front pastedown. The Weald is of course of huge extent, and there are therefore potentially a number of possible “Wealdsides”; but it is notable that the Frewen family dates back to Elizabethan times in East Sussex — and, perhaps, that Moreton Frewen died in 1924.

•  Howes F380; Graff 1442.   Light green publisher's cloth, cover ruled and lettered in black, spine and back also stamped in black; gently rubbed and text slightly cocked, with a thumbnail-sized pink stain along the edge of the back cover and speckling the bottom edge. Light age-toning with offsetting to fly-leaves; inscription as noted. A good read in a good solid copy.  (37037)

The plates are signed “F. Kearny,” an artist born in Perth Amboy, NJ, who studied drawing with Archibald and Alexander Robertson and engraving with Peter Maverick. From 1810 to his death in 1833 he practiced engraving in Philadelphia.

There are two states of gathering “U”: this copy has the typographical error “tibbon” with the stop-press correction to “ribbon” on p. 235.

The volume ends with advertisements for several sporting and fishing goods suppliers.

•  Shoemaker 27838; Howes K108; Henderson, American Sporting Books, 6; Phillips, Sporting Books, 21; Streeter Sale 4084; Bennett, Practical Guide, 60–61. On Stauffer, American Engravers, I, 148–49.   Publisher's sprinkled sheep with simple rope roll in blind on board edges, some abrasion to leather; round spine with gilt double rules forming “spine compartments,” black leather title label. The usual light and scattered foxing noted in all copies, nothing more. A very nice copy.  (28553)

Reproduced in black and white,Walter Paget's eight illustrations depict dramatic scenes of survival including a boxing match with a prisoner, a bear attack, and a fight with hostile Samoyeds; they are accompanied by one double-page map of the Russian empire.

Binding: Publisher's teal cloth, front cover with gilt-stamped title and scene of a bearded man either tying or untying the hero stamped in black, brown, and gilt, spine similarly stamped; midnight blue endpapers and all page edges stained to match boards.

•  Dartt, pp. 40-41; Newbolt 58. Bound as above, binding very slightly cocked with edges and extremities lightly rubbed. Text clean.A nice copy of one of Henty's less common titles. (38686)

Thisfirst edition is illustrated with three copper-etchings of a gentleman and his two dogs in the various stages of the hunt, all done by respected landscape and animal painter Charles Towne (born Town).

•  Schwerdt, I, 269. On Johnson, see DNB (online).   Original drab boards, rebacked with appropriate quarter paper and with new printed paper spine label; boards rubbed, illegible ownership signature on front board, new pastedowns. Edges untrimmed, light age-toning with the very occasional spot or stain, dust-soiling along some edges; plates lightly to moderately foxed with expectable offsetting to surrounding pages.  (38629)

Binding:  Publisher's straight-grained black cloth (deeply textured), covers with blind-stamped corner fleurons, front cover with gilt-stamped vignette.

Provenance:  Front free endpaper with early pencilled gift inscription reading “Helena Emma Abbott [/] Presented by her cousin,” rear free endpaper with Abbott's own pencilled inscription. Most recently in the children's book collection of Albert A. Howard, small booklabel (“AHA”) at rear.

•  Not in American Imprints.   Bound as above, slightly cocked and with corners rubbed. Interior age-toned with mild to moderate spotting and offsetting from illustrations; two leaves with upper outer corners creased across. A very presentable copy of an uncommon and charming item.  (41513)

Binding:  Publisher's brown cloth, front cover with black-stamped hunting scene and title framed in gilt, spine with gilt-stamped title.

•  Binding as above, corners and spine head lightly rubbed. Ex–social club library: call number on endpaper, rubber-stamp on title-page, no other markings. Pages clean.  (27113)

His “major poem was The Chace, published in 1735 and dedicated to Frederick, prince of Wales. In four books of blank verse he conveyed the excitement and dangers of the chase as well as its place in history” (ODNB).

This is the third edition, printed by William Bowyer for Hawkins, in an edition of 1500 copies, attesting to the poem'sgreat popularity. A fourth edition followed in the same year and it continued to be printed in the 18th century with an edition appearing as late as 1800, and yet others in the 19th century!

•  Foxon, English verse, 1701–1750, S564; ESTC T30392.   Modern boards covered in a brown stone-pattern marbled paper. Clean and not close-trimmed; very good.  (32765)

First published in 1843 and first printed with illustrations in 17 monthly parts 1853–54, the misadventures of the enthusiastic Mr. Jorrocks appear here “printed for subscribers from the plates of the Original Edition issued by Bradbury, Agnew & Co.” The volume is illustrated with 16 hand-colored, steel-engraved plates and 31 wood-engraved plates by famed caricaturist John Leech. The colored scenes, many involving horses or hounds or both, are carefully and artistically tinted; the social scenes are more delicately shaded than the vivid hunting scenes. In addition to the color and black-and-white plates, numerous in-text wood-engravings decorate the text.

Binding:  Publisher's crimson cloth, front cover with horse and hound vignettes stamped in black and gilt, spine with black and gilt portrait of Jorrocks himself.

•  NCBEL, III, 967. On Surtees, see: Oxford Dictionary of National Biography online.   Binding as above, spine much sunned but covers bright and fresh. Signatures almost entirely unopened; contents pages and a few other early signatures awkwardly opened with resulting edge tears, including to upper margins (only) of five uncolored plates. One colored plate with tiny scuff in image. Despite described faults, still a solid, bright, beautifully illustrated copy with a great deal of charm.  (30448)

See the end of the first paragraph in our first “Surtees” entry, for a general note on him.

First published in 1847, these vividly rendered hunting scenes appear here “printed for subscribers from the plates of the Original Edition issued by Bradbury, Agnew & Co.” The volume is illustrated with8 plates by Phiz, hand-colored, and 13 steel-engraved plates by W.T. Maude. While Phiz's caricatures are sharp and witty, the coloring itself is rather elegantly restrained. In addition to the color and black-and-white plates, numerous in-text wood-engravings decorate the text, the whole providing many depictions of the hunt.

Binding:  Publisher's crimson cloth, front cover and spine stamped with hunting vignettes and hound decorations in black and gilt.

•  NCBEL, III, 967. On Surtees, see: Oxford Dictionary of National Biography online.   Binding as above, spine much sunned but covers bright and fresh, minimal wear to extremities. Signatures unopened. Save for the dimmed spine, a beautiful and bright copy.  (30434)

See the end of the first paragraph in our first “Surtees” entry for a general note on him.

First published in 1853 as a 13-part serial, the Sporting Tour appears here “printed for subscribers from the plates of the Original Edition issued by Bradbury, Agnew & Co.” The volume is illustrated with13 hand-colored and 30 steel-engraved plates by famed caricaturist John Leech. The colored scenes, most of which depict hunting or riding scenes, are carefully and attractively done with nicely shaded tints. In addition to the color and black-and-white plates, numerous in-text wood-engravings decorate the text.

Binding:  Publisher's crimson cloth, front cover and spine stamped with horse and hound vignettes in black and gilt.

•  NCBEL, III, 967. On Surtees, see: Oxford Dictionary of National Biography online.   Binding as above, spine much sunned but covers bright and fresh. Signatures unopened. One leaf holed in text with loss of a few words and with some light discoloration around this, without loss of sense. Save for the dimmed spine, a beautiful and bright copy.  (30426)

much of interest relating to horses and hounds.

See the end of the first paragraph in our first “Surtees” entry for a general note on him.

First published in 13 monthly parts in 1860, the machinations of Rosa and her mamma appear here “printed for subscribers from the plates of the Original Edition issued by Bradbury, Agnew & Co.” The volume is illustrated with12 hand-colored, steel-engraved plates and 8 wood-engraved plates by famed caricaturist John Leech. The colored scenes, some involving young ladies in elegant dress and some horses and hounds, are carefully and artistically tinted; the social scenes are more delicately shaded than the vivid hunting scenes. In addition to the color and black-and-white plates, numerous in-text wood-engravings decorate the text.

Binding:  Publisher's crimson cloth, front cover with black- and gilt-stamped hound decorations and a gilt-stamped vignette of two flirting equestrians, spine with black and gilt Cupid vignette.

•  NCBEL, III, 968. On Surtees, see: Oxford Dictionary of National Biography online.   Binding as above, extremities slightly rubbed, spine much sunned but covers bright and fresh. Signatures unopened. A clean, unread copy, with lovely plates.  (30470)

Updike's Merrymount Press consistently produced quality pieces with simple but poignant design — this being one of them. W.A. Dwiggins, prominent type and book designer, created the cover pattern and interior decorations.

Binding:  Gray, blue, and green pictorial paper–covered boards featuring repeating images of (underwater?) foliage and an angler with a bite, black cloth spine with gilt lettering. Top edges stained green. Issued with glassine wrapper and slipcase.

Provenance:  From the library of American collector Albert A. Howard, small booklabel (“AHA”) at rear.

•  Agner, Books of WAD, 28.13.   Bound as above; glassine wrapper with edges chipped and lower outer front corner lost, slipcase unmarred. Volume uncut and unopened, clean and nice.  (37894)

Provenance:  From the library of American collector Albert A. Howard, small booklabels (“AHA”) at rear.

•  Bound as above; joints, edges, and spine extremities rubbed and refurbished, spines sunned. Back free endpapers each with bookseller's ticket of Hessey, Fleet Street. Minor offsetting from turn-ins to free endpapers; pages slightly age-toned, otherwise clean. A desirable set, externally a bit worn, now exuding the promise of comfortable enjoyment. (40307)

Provenance: The publisher-issued bookplate and box label proclaim that this copy belonged to L. Haskell Sweet, a New York businessman.

•  Coigney 308.   Publisher's quarter vellum and marbled paper–covered sides, spine with gilt-stamped title; original glassine dust wrapper and original charcoal-colored paper-covered box with personalized label present, wrapper with chips, short tears, and some creasing, and box split at seams with two side elements fully detached (one lost). Vellum of the volume's spine faintly darkened and spotted, book otherwise clean and fresh with top edges gilt; sweet identification as above. A good catch.  (28332)

•  Keynes, William Pickering (rev. ed.), p. 94; Kelly, Checklist of Books Published by William Pickering, 1836.17; Ing, Charles Whittingham, 13; Horne, The Compleat Angler 1653–1967, 43.   Bindings as above, spines gently sunned; front free endpapers stamped “Bartlett & Co, Boston” in upper outer corners. Occasional minor foxing/spotting; vol. II with mild waterstaining to lower outer portions, more pronounced to first few leaves and later ones. An enduring classic, in a beautiful set. (40961)

Willis himself was the founder of the magazine that became the Home Journal, and was celebrated in his day for his essays and travel writings as well as several collections of his journalistic work. The Cambridge History of American Literature calls him the “prince of magazinists,” and remarks on “the evanescent sparkle and glancing brilliance” of A L'abri, later known as Letters from under a Bridge. These charming, witty essays touch on Willis's Yale education (and its lack of practical application!); fishing; a dinner with Lady Blessington, Benjamin Disraeli, Count D'Orsay, and Lord Durham; the possibility of local railroad construction to connect the Hudson with Lake Erie; the relationship of American to British literature, etc. Whatever the ostensible topics of the individual letters, each touches in affectionate and amusing fashion on some aspect of life in the Susquehanna region.

A publishing practice, demonstrated: Bound in at the back of this volume are yellow printed paper wrappers for John Smith's Letters, and the title-page and preface for Fireside Education — both items published by Colman in the same year as the present work.

•  BAL 22752 (spine label in first state, cloth described as “Brown S cloth “); American Imprints 59260; Fearing, Check List of Books on Angling, Fishing, Fisheries, Fish-Culture, etc., 135; Sabin 104504. On Willis, see: Cambridge History of American Literature online.   Publisher's brown cloth embossed with floret and dash pattern, spine with printed paper label; corners rubbed, and spine cloth chipped with paper label chipped and darkened. Front free endpaper with early pencilled ownership inscription. Foxing throughout; occasional pencilled marginalia and marks of emphasis.  (25806)

Binding: Midnight green morocco with delicate gilt decoration of hooks, lines, and a bobbin to front boards, with the design also featuring Walton's initials and dates (given as 1593–1683, although his birth year is also often stated as 1594); spine with raised bands and similar motifs in compartments. Wide, minimally gilt-decorated turn-ins, blue endpapers, and top edge gilt. Bound for former Boston Bookseller N.J. Bartlett & Co. bySangorski & Sutcliffe, signed.

Provenance:  On front pastedown, the bookplate of Edward Ludlow Parker. Most recently in the library of American collector Albert A. Howard, small booklabel (“AHA”) at rear.

•  Bound as above. Offsetting of turn-ins to endpapers and additional minor offsetting to pages adjacent to plates; light staining and age-toning to a handful of pages. A classic work beautifully illustrated and in a fantastic binding; stunning, sturdy, and suitable.  (37858)