With 40 Rare Portraits of Early 18th-Century Thoroughbreds
The Sportsman’s Pocket Companion, being a striking likeness or portraiture of the most eminent race horses and stallions, that ever were in this kingdom, represented in variety of attitudes … Drawn by James Roberts and engraved by Henry Roberts.
London: Printed for R. and R. Baldwin, No. 47 Pater Noster Row, [1760].
Price: $7,500.00
About the item
First edition. Engraved throughout. Title page and 40 plates, each with portrait of a thoroughbred, caption and record of its wins; some plates with a vignette at foot. 41 [of 42] leaves. 1 vols. 8vo. Old calf, crudely repaired at spine, some plates loosened. Three plates with small marginal losses at fore edge, pl. [17] with small closed tear across text, no loss. ESTC T150352 (BL; Transylvania U.); Huth, p. 38; Podeschi 54; Loder 1632.
Item #375743
Rare and beautiful engraved book of portraits of noted British race horses active in the first half of the eighteenth century. The final plate shows the Bay Arabian, now known as the Godolphin Arabian, most famous race horse and thoroughbred sire of all, who died in 1753 “in his 29th year”.
The work was reprinted circa 1820 as The Sportsman's Companion (with letterpress title and three plates with alterations)
ESTC N23610 records a copy at Winterthur with a different imprint, Published and Sold by Henry Roberts; the copy described by Podeschi (also with the Roberts imprint) has an engraved index or contents leaf, not present here.
