[SURTEES, Robert Smith].

Plain or Ringlets? By the Author of Handley Cross, Sponge's Sporting Tour, Ask Mamma, etc. etc. With Illustrations by John Leech.

London: Bradbury and Evans ... 1860. 13 original parts in 12, 8vo., with 13 hand-coloured engraved John Leech plates (including engraved title) and publishers advertisements in parts I, II, & IV (five leaves in all), numerous vignettes by John Leech in the text, minor fraying here and there, otherwise a fine set in the original printed wrappers; morocco box. First edition of another splendidly illustrated classic by the master of the hunting tale, brimming as always with slapdash charm. While making no attempt to hide its opinion that the John Leech illustrations are in fact the only good thing about any Surtees novel, DNB thinks the cuts Leech made for this particular one are ‘exceptionally good’ (curiously DNB peppers its entry on Surtees with auction prices for his books in their original parts – this one fetches ‘5l. to 6l.’). “Plain or Ringlets?” is the last complete outing of the celebrated Surtees / Leech partnership; Leech died half way through his work on Surtees’s next and final novel Mr. Facey Romford’s Hounds. Sadleir 3167 (bound) Wolff 6636 (bound); Schwerdt, II, 238; Mellon 199.

• GBP 1,500.00 > autres monnaies
• Commande nro.: E187

• libraire: Bernard Quaritch Ltd. (GREAT BRITAIN)