Robert Surtees — Hunts with Jorrocks

London, Hodder and Stoughton, 1908. First edition. Leather. An uncommon first thus edition copy of this work by Robert Smith Surtees, copiously illustrated throughout and signed by the renowned British artist George Denholm Armour. This edition was limited to three hundred and fifty copies, numbered and signed by the artist. This copy is numbered 'No. 198', and signed by Armour to the colophon. Collated, complete with twenty five tipped in coloured plates by Armour, and several black and white illustrations throughout the text. Robert Smith Surtees was an English editor, novelist and sporting writer best known for his contributions to the first English sporting periodical to devote itself to every type of sport, 'The Sporting Magazine&apos. Surtees launched his own sporting magazine entitled the 'New Sporting Magazine' in 1831, contributing the comic papers which appeared as 'Jorrocks' Jaunts and Jollities' in 1838. Jorrocks, the eponymous, vulgar and artful sporting cockney grocer was a great success with the public and is often considered as one of the great comic characters of English Literature, appearing in many of Surtees works such as this text, 'Hunts with Jorrocks&apos. Featuring a tipped in bookplate of a 'John Hicks Graves, of Bradenham&apos. In the publisher's original full leather binding, with gilt and blind stamped detail to the front board. Externally, slight rubbing to extremities and head and tail of spine, resulting in slight loss to leather. Prior owner's bookplate tipped to front pastedown. Ink inscription by artist to limited edition colophon. Internally firmly bound. Pages rough cut to extremities, but bright and clean. The odd light spot to the occasional page. Mark to lower fore edge of page 15, not affecting text. Very Good . Ill.: G. Denholm Armour. Very Good .