Details
DENISON, William. The Cricketer's Companion ... Season 1843. London: W. Clement Junior, and sold by Robert Dark, Lord’s Cricket Ground [and others], [1844]. 12° (172 x 99mm). [2], iv, 62pp. (Heavy marginal stain to pp. 15-22, some dust soiling.) Original dark green limp cloth gilt (detached, some bubbling, stitching weak). Provenance: the participants in the Match of 18 of Manchester –v- All England Eleven have been written in pencil on the inside front cover, probably in the hand of R. Birley who has signed the same page in ink – C. Ambery, bookseller, Manchester (mid-century label).
FIRST EDITION, SECOND ISSUE with Laws as altered 3rd June 1844, and 62 pages rather than 54 pages of text. Published over four years in four editions, two of which had second issues with variations, Denison’s Companion was available from the publishers in either cloth or wrappers. While less imposing than the score books of Britcher, Epps or even Bentley, it was much easier to slip into the pocket; with Lillywhite’s Guide, it set the precedent for cricket reporting in a very reduced type size, and the example was followed by John Wisden’s Cricketer’s Almanack. This issue was priced at 6d more than the first, 2/6d in cloth and 2/ in wrappers. Allen 46; Goldman p.68: ‘one of the very rare cricket items’; Taylor p. 40; Padwick 1068.
FIRST EDITION, SECOND ISSUE with Laws as altered 3rd June 1844, and 62 pages rather than 54 pages of text. Published over four years in four editions, two of which had second issues with variations, Denison’s Companion was available from the publishers in either cloth or wrappers. While less imposing than the score books of Britcher, Epps or even Bentley, it was much easier to slip into the pocket; with Lillywhite’s Guide, it set the precedent for cricket reporting in a very reduced type size, and the example was followed by John Wisden’s Cricketer’s Almanack. This issue was priced at 6d more than the first, 2/6d in cloth and 2/ in wrappers. Allen 46; Goldman p.68: ‘one of the very rare cricket items’; Taylor p. 40; Padwick 1068.
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