The Cocker: Containing Every Information to the Breeders and Amateurs of that noble bird The Game Cock: To which is added, A Variety of Other Useful Information for the Instruction of Those who are Attendants on the Cock Pit. By W. Sketchley, Gent. [Extra-illustrated copy].

SKETCHLEY (W.) [WILLIAM], Gent. [fl. c.1770-1816]

Published by Printed and Published by J. Croft, High Street; and Sold by Longman, Hurst, Rees, Orme, and Brown, London, Burton-on-Trent, 1814

About this Item

'Burton-on-Trent: Printed and Published by J. Croft, High Street; and Sold by Longman, Hurst, Rees, Orme, and Brown, London, 1814' [IN FACT A LATER - c.1900 - FACSIMILE REPRINT]. 8vo (measures 8.3" x 5.4" approx.). 154,[2]pp. Coloured frontispiece (with hand-coloured cockerels). Decorative tail-pieces to text. §This copy is extra-illustrated with eight hand-coloured plates, comprising two double-page plates (numbers 3 & 4) from the 'Cock Fighting' series by Henry Alken; five plates (one folding) of individual cockerels or varieties (including 'Phenomenon', 'The Cheshire Pile', Streaky Breasted Red Dunn, Blackbreasted Dark Red, and 'Yorkshire Hero') by Benjamin Marshall, & 'Tom, Jerry & Logic backing Tommy the Sweep at the Royal Cockpit' by Robert & George Cruikshank. The Alken plates are c.1900 reprints; of the Marshall plates the three portraits are c.1900 reprints, the other two appear to be earlier; and the Cruikshank plate is from an early 19th century edition of Pierce Egan's 'Life in London'. §The work was first published in 1793, & an expanded second edition followed in 1814 - of which this is an unstated facsimile. Bodleian Library suggests 1914 as the publication date (i.e. the centenary); British Library suggests 1924. The frontispiece of the facsimile is not always found coloured. The second half of the volume comprises headed blank forms in sections such as 'Pedigree of Brood Cocks, Hens, or Pullets', 'Names and Characters of all my Cocks', 'Bags in Stock', 'Cash Account', etc., for the owner to fill in. Finely bound in red half-morocco, watered cloth boards, spine in compartments, gilt lettering & decoration, top edge gilt, others untrimmed, marbled endpapers, by Henry Young & Sons of Liverpool. Ink gift inscription 'George Grundy from R. Grundy. 1913' to verso of front free endpaper. Occasional foxing, clear of plates; one plate slightly offset. In all other respects a fine, bright copy, apparently unique.

Seller Inventory # 300693

Bibliographic Details

• Title: The Cocker: Containing Every Information to the Breeders and Amateurs of that noble bird The Game Cock: To which is added, A Variety of Other Useful Information for the Instruction of Those who are Attendants on the Cock Pit. By W. Sketchley, Gent. [Extra-illustrated copy].
• Publisher: Printed and Published by J. Croft, High Street; and Sold by Longman, Hurst, Rees, Orme, and Brown, London, Burton-on-Trent
• Publication Date: 1814
• Binding: Hardcover
• Edition: Facsimile
• Condition: Near Fine
• Seller catalogs:
  • Fine Printing, Private Press, Limited Editions
  • Romantics and Romantic Era
  • Augustan