Beschreibung:

Property from the Library of John M. SchiffAlken, HenryA Collection of Sporting and Humourous Designs, Comprising a Variety of Entertaining Works ... Illustrative of the Manners, Customs, Sports and Pastimes of England. London: Thomas M'Lean, 1824
3 vols., folio (542 x 362 mm). 329 hand-colored aquatint plates or soft-ground etchings by Henry Alken (size varies, 4 folding), all mounted or inlaid within gilt-ruled borders and interleaved throughout, general title to each vol., some section titles; plates trimmed with occasional loss of imprint, plates generally very clean, with occasional offsetting, spotting and toning. Contemporary green straight grain morocco, ornately gilt with a pictorial sporting motif to covers signed "Knights sc" in gilt, within a diamond border stamped in blind and gilt; lightly scuffed, spines a bit sunned, a few hinges cracked but holding, rear cover vol. 3 almost detached. Each volume housed in a cloth slipcase.
A fine set of this rare collection of Alken's major works. Included in the compilation are four very important oblong plates of shooting and two of coaching, all finely hand-colored.
"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, Philadelphia and New York, 1921, p.16 ... The binding is very typical of the period, its chief interest consisting in the central ornament composed of sporting paraphernalia and signed "Knights sc". The engraver is mentioned in an advertisement of Gosden's Silver Buttons as a partner with Colnaghi and Molteno. The ornament is usually found on copies of Aiken's National Sports of Great Britain, 1820, 1821, or 1823" (G.D. Hobson, English Bindings in the Library of J.R. Abbey, 1940, 113, describing a similar set bound in red straight-grained morocco).
Comprising:
Volume 1: Fox-hunting, 1 plate; Shooting, 4 plates (folding); Coaching, 2 plates; British Sports, colored title and 50 plates; Moments of Fancy, colored title and 13 plates.
Volume 2: Fox-hunting, 2 plates; Symptoms of Being Amused, colored title and set of 41 plates; Involuntary Thoughts, 8 plates; Hunting, or Six Hours Sport, printed title and set of 6 plates; Shooting, or One Day's Sport of Three Real Good One's, printed title and set of 6 plates; 6 miscellaneous plates; Tutor's Assistant, 6 plates; Specimens of Riding Near London, set of 18 plates; Comparative Meltonians, 6 plates; 12 miscellaneous plates.
Volume 3: Fox-hunting, 1 plate, Illustrations to Popular Songs, printed title, colored title, and set of 43 plates; Scraps from the Sketch Book of Henry Alken, printed title and 42 plates; 6 miscellaneous plates including Earth Stopper, Game Keepers, Huntsman & Whipper In, Post Lads, Poachers, and Fox Hunter; Illustrations to Byron, 3 plates; National Sports, 30 plates; A Touch at the Fine Arts, set of 12 plates; Scenes in the Life of Master George, 11 plates.
PROVENANCE:Frederick Helman (Bookplate. vol. 1)