Fishing  +  Hunting  in  Great  Britain

Daniel, W(illia)m B(arker). Rural Sports. 2 vols. With engraved and (1) ill. titles by Peter William Tomkin (c. 1763 – c. 1836) and

63  ( 1 double page )  copperplates

by John Scott (London about 1778 – after 1821) after Stephan Elmer (Farnham, Sussex, – 1795, 10), Sawry Gilpin (Carlisle 1733 – London 1807, 10), and others. (London,) Bunny & Gold, (1801-)02. Large 4°. 5 nn. ll., 388 pp.; 3 nn. ll., 520 pp., 2 nn. ll. Brown half leather with gilt back plate, blind stamping, broad leather edges, and marbled boards. Top edge brown, otherwise paled dotted edges.

BMC IIL, 328; Souhart 132; Schwerdt I, 133 f. (2^nd edition of 1805, now in 3 vols. + suppl.-vol. of 1813). – First edition. – On broad Whatman-paper of 1794 + 1801. A few plates trimmed inside the white platemark, only one title within the publisher’s adress. A few marginal tears repaired. The plates mostly in the white margins a little foxed, only a few + the titles seized more. A few quires evenly slightly browned, otherwise as a whole of great freshness.

The several chapters on hounds – with 50 pages on medicines – , different game as fox, stag, hare, martin, birds (110 pp. with 19 plates), and others more. Furthermore describing origin, principles, and development of hunting laws as a whole as especially connected with fish, birds, and hounds. Finally hints on arms and ammunition. Indexes for each volume.

Of definitive thematic priority

containing on 373 pp. and 18 plts. besides numerous descriptions of species with instructions for hauling + needed flies 22 pages especially about making flies and 98 pages with descriptions of the waters, arranged to counties of England, Scotland, and Ireland.

Illustrated and engraved by the best of their time. Scott had

“ the name of one of the most credited engravers of his motherland. He had also the merit of an excellent drawer, who used the graver with a mastery as to be found in first rate sheets only. He stands alone in his superior style of engraving … Some of his sheets are united in éditions de luxe, so separately they are rare or even not to be found ”

(Nagler XVI, 179). And Gilpin , “… a fine English animal painter … named: Apostle of the North” (N. V, 174) – was esteemed as “one of the most important British horse painters. But he had also done excellent with the depiction of other wild animals” (Thieme-Becker XIV, 49). – Elmer “depicted wild and house birds which earned him great applause. He was even to be put aside of the Dutch painters …” (N. IV, 110).

Offer no. 13,130 / EUR  956. / Export price EUR  908. (c. US$ 1466.) + shipping

“ Received the (original Ridinger printing-)plate yesterday. Much Thanks from a satiesfied customer. You are a True Gentleman … All the Best! L… F. ”

(Mr. L. A. F., November 5, 2003)