Every Boys Book - A Complete Encyclopaedia Of Sports and Amusements
Edited by Edmund Routledge
Fifteenth Edition
With Six Hundred Illustrations And Coloured Plates
Published by George Routledge And Sons Limited: London 1884
Carries the Ex Libris Bookplate Of Lauchlan Mackinnon Jun From His Grandfather L. Mackinnon.
Lauchlan Mackinnon (26 February 1817 - 21 March 1888) was a pastoralist, politician and newspaper proprietor in colonial Australia. Mackinnon one of the most enterprising of the pioneer colonists of Victoria (Australia) and one of the proprietors of the Melbourne Argus from 1852 until his death.
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This richly illustrated 1884 fifteenth edition of Every Boy's Book stands as one of the most comprehensive Victorian guides to sports, games, crafts and outdoor amusements for boys. Edited by Edmund Routledge and featuring over six hundred illustrations along with striking coloured plates, the volume covers an impressive range of activities—from rowing, fencing, riding and angling to household science, natural history, experiments, puzzles and mechanical pursuits. Presented in a beautifully decorated gilt and colour-stamped pictorial binding, it reflects the era's belief in vigorous recreation, practical knowledge and moral improvement through constructive play.
Beyond its role as a children's compendium, the book offers valuable insight into the social and cultural expectations of late-nineteenth-century youth. The carefully illustrated sporting techniques, detailed diagrams and instructive tone reveal the Victorian ideal of the well-rounded, physically capable and intellectually engaged young gentleman. Chapters on scientific apparatus, chemical analysis, and even cutting-edge topics such as spectroscopy demonstrate the period's fascination with discovery and self-education. As a result, the work serves as a vivid window into domestic life, education and leisure at a time when industrial progress and imperial confidence shaped the British imagination.
Of exceptional significance to
Melbourne and Victorian colonial history
, this copy carries the prestigious ex libris bookplate of Lauchlan Mackinnon Jr., gifted by his grandfather Lauchlan Mackinnon in 1885. Mackinnon—pastoralist, politician, pioneering colonist and long-time proprietor of The Melbourne Argus—was one of the key figures in shaping early media and public life in Victoria. His ownership provenance elevates this volume from a fine illustrated Victorian children's book to an artefact connected directly to one of Melbourne's most influential nineteenth-century families. For collectors of Melbourne history, Argus newspaper heritage, or volumes linked to prominent colonial figures, this is an outstanding and historically resonant example."
Light wear and fading to covers and spine as shown. Carries the Ex Libris Bookplate Of Lauchlan Mackinnon Jun From His Grandfather L. Mackinnon. Inside hinges split and covers wobbly but secure. No loose pages. Includes 9 coloured plates and appears complete in every respect. Pages with a pleasant aged tone and a few age marks but predominantly clean and beautifully presented. A nice copy with excellent provenance in very good condition overall. Please study photos to further understand condition.
