![ALKEN, Henry. Sporting Sketches. London: S. and J. Fuller, 1817[-1818] [but plates watermarked 1817-1820].](https://www.christies.com/img/LotImages/2015/CKS/2015_CKS_11343_0175_000(alken_henry_sporting_sketches_london_s_and_j_fuller_1817-1818_but_plat124837).jpg?w=1)
Details
ALKEN, Henry. Sporting Sketches. London: S. and J. Fuller, 1817[-1818] [but plates watermarked 1817-1820].
Oblong 2°, (260 x 400mm). Hand-coloured etched title and 48 hand-coloured plates. (Title rather dust soiled, spotting affecting about one third of the plates, a few margins dusty near end.) Mid 20th-century red half morocco, smooth gilt spine, original parts wrapper laid down on front cover; clamshell box with matching red morocco spine, both spines with brown morocco labels.
AN EARLY WORK, EXCEPTIONALLY RARE WITH THIS NUMBER OF PLATES. The wrapper announces that ‘this work will be completed in six monthly numbers, each number containing six plates.’ This is one of presumably very few copies, including the Gloucester copy, containing an extra 12 plates (Spitz himself thought there might be ‘at the most two’). The plates are full of activity, some containing one, others two scenes, and some up to a dozen sporting vignettes. Hunting, shooting and fishing feature most strongly among the sports, but there are also independent studies of horses and dogs. All the bibliographies call for 36 plates. Mellon/Snelgrove 92; Schwerdt I p. 26; Siltzer p. 69.
Oblong 2°, (260 x 400mm). Hand-coloured etched title and 48 hand-coloured plates. (Title rather dust soiled, spotting affecting about one third of the plates, a few margins dusty near end.) Mid 20th-century red half morocco, smooth gilt spine, original parts wrapper laid down on front cover; clamshell box with matching red morocco spine, both spines with brown morocco labels.
AN EARLY WORK, EXCEPTIONALLY RARE WITH THIS NUMBER OF PLATES. The wrapper announces that ‘this work will be completed in six monthly numbers, each number containing six plates.’ This is one of presumably very few copies, including the Gloucester copy, containing an extra 12 plates (Spitz himself thought there might be ‘at the most two’). The plates are full of activity, some containing one, others two scenes, and some up to a dozen sporting vignettes. Hunting, shooting and fishing feature most strongly among the sports, but there are also independent studies of horses and dogs. All the bibliographies call for 36 plates. Mellon/Snelgrove 92; Schwerdt I p. 26; Siltzer p. 69.
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