Rural Sports; Supplement to the Rural Sports. 3 Vols.

Hardcover. 1802-1813. Contemporary custom binding in deep green full morocco with gilt decorations; raised bands; spine lettering and decorations gilt; all edges gilt. 3 vols. (x), 383, (4); (vi), 520, (4); (xviii), 507, (24). Illustrated with engraved plates. Vols. 1 & 2 are published by Bunny & Gold, with 1802 imprint on title-page of v.2, and preface dated November, 1801 in v.1. The Supplement (v.3) is published by B. & R. Crosby with 1813 imprint. Vol. 1 contains 20 plates plus frontispiece and engraved title-page; vol. 2 contains 45 plates, two of them folding, plus frontispiece and engraved title-page; vol. 3 contains 4 plates, one in colour, plus frontispiece. Small bookplate on front pastedowns; leather scuffed on extremities, with lighter scuffing to spines; v.3 repaired at head of spine, spine edge & corners; leather otherwise rubbed, with a bit of wear to some corners; spines darkened to brown, with slightly faded gilt; foxing & light staining to prelims, and light foxing to plates; but interior very clean & bright with wonderfully bright plates for the most part (even when lightly foxed). Despite the defects, this uniformly bound set still has a very impressive appearance. Over half of v.2 (376 pp.) is devoted to fishing, and so is much of the supplement (393 pp.).