ALKEN, Henry. A collection of sporting and humorous designs, comprising a variety of entertaining works, solely executed by Henry Alken, illustrative of the manners, customs, sports, and pastimes of England. McLean, London 1824
3 volumes, folio (54 x 38 cm.), 4 title-pages (3 hand-coloured), 1 text page, 299 hand-coloured aquatints and soft-ground etchings, cut round and mounted or inlaid within black ink borders throughout as issued, publisher's red straight-grained morocco gilt, gilt and blindstamped borders, enclosing a central gilt sporting vignette signed "Knights sc", rebacked preserving original spines, lightly rubbed, a very handsome set. The collection comprises: Volume I: Ideas, accidental and incidental to hunting, 24 plates [Siltzer p72]; National sports, colour title-page and 31 full-page plates interspersed with 16 smaller plates [Siltzer p70]; 25 miscellaneous plates. Volume II: Hunting, or six hours sport, the set of 6 plates [Siltzer p71]; 6 miscellaneous plates; The sketch book of Henry Alken, title-page and the set of 40 plates [Siltzer p 70]; Scenes in the life of Master George, 11 (of 12, missing plate excised from volume) plates [not in Siltzer, Tooley 46]; Specimens of riding near London, 17 (of 18) plates [Siltzer p70]. Volume III: Symptoms of being amused, colour title and the set of 41 plates [Siltzer p41]; Illustrations to popular songs, colour title and 42 (of 43) plates [Siltzer p71]; Involuntary thoughts, the set of 8 plates [Siltzer p72]; Tutor's assistant, the set of 6 plates [Siltzer p71]; Illustrations to Byron, 2 plates; Shakespeare's Seven ages of man, text leaf and set of 7 plates [Siltzer p71]; British proverbs, the set of 6 plates [Siltzer p71]; Moments of fancy, 11 (of 14) plates, 1 plate with defective margin not affecting image, [Siltzerp71].
An attractive set of this rare collection. "This binding covers one of the collections of over 300 plates by Alken which were issued by McLean in 1824; they have nearly all been broken up and are extremely scarce. See De Ricci, The Book collector's guide ... in fact it is said that three sets only are known. The binding is very typical of the period, its chieef interest consisting in the central ornament composed of sporting paraphenalia and signed "Knights sc". The ornament is usually found on copies of Alken's National sports of Great Britain." ( G.D. Hobson, English bindings in the library of J. R. Abbey, 1940, 113, describing a similar set). Although the title-pages are dated 1824, the first set, Ideas, was published from 1826 to 1830.
£22500
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