[FARNIE, HENRY B.] THE GOLFER'S MANUAL: BEING AN HISTORICAL AND DESCRIPTIVE ACCOUNT OF THE NATIONAL GAME OF SCOTLAND. BY A KEEN HAND. CUPAR: WHITEHEAD AND ORR, 1857.

Details

[FARNIE, HENRY B.] THE GOLFER'S MANUAL: BEING AN HISTORICAL AND DESCRIPTIVE ACCOUNT OF THE NATIONAL GAME OF SCOTLAND. BY A KEEN HAND. CUPAR: WHITEHEAD AND ORR, 1857.
Small 8°, lithographed frontispiece portrait of Allan Robertson after a photograph by T. Rodger (marginal waterstaining to frontispiece affecting one corner of image, title slightly soiled and browned). Original red cloth gilt, front cover with title in gilt (lightly rubbed, rebacked in red morocco and recased, preserving two old yellow endpapers).

Provenance

William Moxon, title inscription.
R.B. Sharp, by descent to Hugh Sharp, and thence to:
Bernard Darwin, signature and initialled inscription by Darwin on yellow front endpaper.

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Lot Essay

FIRST EDITION OF THE FIRST BOOK OF PROSE WRITTEN ON GOLF, also recognised as the first book of golf instruction. Farnie was a native of Burntisland and educated at St. Andrews where he became 'a keen hand' at golf. He wrote several guide books, edited a Fifeshire newspaper, and in 1863 went to pursue a journalistic career in London, translating many French operas and operettas. He died in Paris in 1889. Hopkinson pp. 29-30; Murdoch 415.

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