Rev Macpherson Hon Gerald Lascelles (1 results)

hardcover. Condition: Very Good. Publication: London, Longmans, Green, and Co., 1896 Formatting: 8vo, pp. viii, [ii], 263, 24 (publisher's advertisements). Condition Report Very Good. The original pictorial oatmeal cloth binding remains notably bright and attractive, with the red and brown blocked illustration to the front board retaining strong colour and definition. There is some minor, expected shelf-wear to the extremities, including gentle bumping to the corners and slight softening to the spine ends, alongside a hint of general age-darkening to the spine panel, though the gilt lettering remains perfectly legible. Internally, the binding is tight and structurally secure with no leaning. The original dark brown endpapers are entirely intact. The untrimmed text block shows standard age-toning and mild dusting to the top edge, but the pages remain remarkably crisp and clean throughout, with only very occasional, negligible scattered spotting that does not detract from the text or the plates. A highly pleasing, solid example of a Victorian sporting classic. Catalogue Note First Edition. Part of the highly successful Fur and Feather Series (which shortly thereafter expanded into the Fur, Feather and Fin Series to include angling), this comprehensive monograph features specialist contributions on the natural history, shooting, coursing, hunting, and cookery of the hare. Edited by Alfred E. T. Watson, the volume is richly illustrated throughout with a tissue-guarded frontispiece, title vignette, and seven full-page engraved plates by the noted sporting artists G. D. Giles, Archibald Thorburn, and C. Whymper. This copy features a neat ink inscription to the half-title reading "Arthur Alexander from G.C.W., Xmas / 96", perfectly placing the book's gifting in its year of publication. While individual volumes from this series appear on the open market relatively frequently, locating a true first printing that retains such well-preserved pictorial boards without heavy soiling, structural wear, or modern repairs is increasingly uncommon. A quintessential late-Victorian sporting guide, The Hare offers a definitive look at the animalâs historical role in British field sports. Blending detailed natural history observations with practical, hands-on chapters covering shooting, coursing, hound hunting, and specialised game cookery, this beautifully illustrated volume captures the true essence of 19th-century country pursuits. It remains an indispensable classic for collectors of field sports literature and antiquarian natural history alike. G. D. Giles, A. Thorburn, C. Whymper (illustrator).…