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First Edition of Hunter's Annual [No. 1] in the Publisher's Printed Wrappers Four Superb Hand Colored Lithographs Depicting Four of the Most Celebrated Hunts [DAVIS, Richard Barrett]. Hunter's Annual [No. 1]. Dedicated by Permission of His Most Gracious Majesty King William the 4th. by his Majesty's most obedient and devoted servant R.B. Davis. London: Published by R.B. Davis, December 1836. First edition of "The Hunter's Annual", issued in December, 1836, in the original bright vermilion wrappers, uncut. A work of the greatest rarity, this being one of the very few copies that have survived in its original state. Large folio (24 3/4 x 20 3/8 inches; 629 x 518 mm.). Two leaves of descriptive text printed on one side only. Four wonderful hand-colored lithograph plates drawn on stone by J. W. Giles after R. B. Davis and printed by J. Graf. All India paper proofs. One lithograph plate printed in black giving key to the identity of the hounds shown in the four colored plates. Actual India paper plate size approximately 16 1/4 x 17 7/8 inches; 412 x 455 mm. Publisher's pictorial colored bright orange wrappers printed in black showing a landscape with a running fox with hounds in pursuit. Verso of wrappers white, sewn as issued. Chemised in a quarter dark blue morocco over blue cloth boards portfolio. Front panel lettered in gilt "Hunter's Annual / London 1836", smooth spine lettered horizontally in gilt, fine. Some light marginal foxing to the second, third a& fourth plates - not affecting images. A wonderful example. An incredible survival. This work, as noted on the wrapper title, was published at two guineas a copy. A second, third, and fourth series were published in 1837, 1839, and 1841. The text leaves give brief accounts of four of the most celebrated hunts - The Royal, Hunt, The Belvoir Hunt, The Melton Mowbray Hunt and The Bramshill Hunt. Rare in the original pictorial wrappers. Schwerdt had two copies of this the first of four parts (one colored but in later wrappers, one uncolored in these pictorial wrappers. The last part was published in 1841 and was not seen by Schwerdt. "R[ichard] B[arrett] Davis lived at Windsor and that, although he did not often hunt himself, he inherited a love of the sport from his father Richard Davis, who was huntsman to the harriers of George III." (Schwerdt). The plates are dedicated and have the following inscribed legends: 1. "This Portrait of Mr. C. Davis, His Majesty's Huntsman, on the Hermit, is with permission dedicated to the Right Hon. The Earl of Errol K.T. master of his Majesty's Buck Hounds &c. &c. by his Lordship's most obedient Servant R. B. Davis." 2. "This print of T. Goosey, Huntsman, to the Belvoir Hounds, is dedicated to The Lord Forrester, master of the hunt, by his most obed.t humble Serv.t R. B. Davis." 3. "This Print of George Montford and W. Derry, Huntsman, and Whipper-in, to the Melton Hounds, is dedicated with permission to Roland Errington, Esq.r the Master of the Hunt by his most Obedient Serv.t R. B. David." 4. "This Print of James Shirley Huntsman, to the Bramshill Hounds, is dedicated to Sir John Cope Bar.t by his most Obedient humble Serv.t R. B. Davis." The last copy to appear at auction was at the Schiff auction (Sotheby's NY, December 11th, 1990 - $1,200). OCLC locates just one complete set of all four parts: Yale University Library (CT, US). Bobins 773; Schwerdt I, pp. 258/259; Siltzer p. 107.
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