‘It’s Better Just a Little Farther on’
Fly-Fishing Reminiscences (With Illustrations) of My Early Years (1908-1916) at the Beaverkill Trout Club.
[Pleasantville, New York: Privately Printed, 1929].
First edition. 42 original mounted photographs, each captioned by hand in ink. Text printed in brown. [20] pp. 1 vols. Folio. ‘It’s Better Just a Little Farther on’. Original brown printed wrappers, sewn. Fine (short split at bottom of spine fold). Green half morocco slipcase and cloth chemise Litchfield 85; Bruns B202; Heller 1:730; H.A. Darbee sale (1987) 23A. Item #314035
Bradley was Secretary-Treasurer of the Beaverkill Trout Club from 1910-1929; the club had 43 members at the time of his writing. A brief but detailed section of reminiscences is followed by early photographs of sport along the Beaverkill before World War I, including author Geo. M. L. La Branche in mid-cast. Each photograph is titled in a fine hand which Bruns speculates is that of "Lady B.", pictured on p. 19. There are also photographs of trout fishing in Maine and other points in New York State, and of the author and his friend Charlie Campbell (president of the club 1910-1923) fishing for Atlantic salmon in Newfoundland. Campbell was the friend who first brought Bradley to the Voorhees homestead in 1908, and with Bradley formed the Beaverkill Trout Club. Campbell’s motto was “It’s better just a little farther on”. These recollections were evidently composed in 1927 (for a speech to fellow members, to judge from the text) and expanded for publication here.
"A very rare work numbering about 25 copies" (Heller). The Litchfield copy, sold at auction in November 2001, brought $14,400.
RARE AND BEAUTIFUL AND EVOCATIVE OF SPORT ON A LEGENDARY AMERICAN RIVER.
Price: $15,000.00 Free International Delivery
