Published by Chapman And Hall Limited: London 1886
In Original Gilt Decorated Cloth Bindings - All Illustrations Present As Called For.
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An exceptionally attractive example of Victorian sporting book design, featuring a magnificent gilt stag composition to the original olive cloth binding.
First published to considerable contemporary success, W. Bromley-Davenport's Sport is a substantial Victorian examination of four pursuits closely associated with British country life: fox-hunting, salmon-fishing, covert-shooting and deer-stalking. Writing from personal experience, Bromley-Davenport combines practical observation with anecdote, commentary and an outspoken defence of traditional field sports, preserving the attitudes and customs of the nineteenth-century sporting world.
Each of the four principal sections explores the character, techniques and particular pleasures of its subject. Fox-hunting considers horses, hounds, riders and the organisation of the hunt; salmon-fishing describes the challenges and frustrations of working river and fly; covert-shooting examines the conduct and discipline of the shooting field; while deer-stalking addresses both genuine Highland stalking and the author's criticism of artificial sporting practices. The result is both a sporting manual and a revealing social record of the Victorian country gentleman.
The volume is extensively illustrated by Lieutenant-General Henry Hope Crealocke, C.B., C.M.G., a distinguished soldier, traveller and accomplished sporting artist. His lively drawings portray mounted huntsmen, fishing expeditions, shooting scenes, deer and other game, frequently capturing the humour and mishaps accompanying life in the field. Decorative title-page artwork and illustrated period advertisements on the endpapers further enhance the book's strong visual and historical appeal.
Published by Chapman and Hall in 1886, this "New Edition" followed the success of the two earlier issues and made the work available to a wider readership. This copy retains its handsome original cloth binding, richly decorated in gilt and black with a prominent stag design to the front board, and contains all illustrations as called for. A presentation inscription dated March 1886 provides additional period character, making this an attractive example for collectors of Victorian sporting literature, hunting, fishing and illustrated books.
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General wear, bumping and fading etc to covers and spine as shown. Binding is secure with firm covers and no loose pages. Contemporary inscription to title page. All illustrations present as called for. Pages typically clean and well presented with some light age toning present. An excellent copy that presents beautifully on the shelf. Very good condition overall. Please study photos to further understand condition.
