Henry Alken | The National Sports of Great Britain, London, 1825, 4to, contemporary blue morocco gilt

Property from the Library at Spetchley Park

Henry Alken

The National Sports of Great Britain. London: Thomas M'Lean, 1825

FIRST EDITION, 4to (254 x 171mm.), 50 hand-coloured etched plates by Alken, contemporary blue morocco gilt, minor spotting and staining, slightly rubbed

"Perhaps Alken's best known and most comprehensive work" contains illustrations of horse racing, angling, shooting, fox hunting, and coursing, as well as prize fighting and cock fighting (Schwerdt I:19).

LITERATURE:

Schwerdt IV:5 (cf. I:19-20, 8vo edition of 1825); Tooley 41

PROVENANCE:

Robert Berkeley of Spetchley, 1900, armorial bookplate