ALKEN, Henry

[Thoughts While Fox Hunting]

London: , 1833. Item #05814

"Thoughts While Fox Hunting"
A Very Scarce and Highly Amusing Series of Hand Colored Lithograph Plates

ALKEN, Henry. [Thoughts While Fox Hunting]. London: Thomas McLean, 1833.

First [hand-colored] edition. Oblong folio (10 9 16 x 14 1/4 inches; 268 x 362 mm.). Six very fine hand colored lithograph plates. All plates with imprint "London. Published by Thos. McLean. 26 Haymarket, 1833"

Bound ca, 1930 by Rivière & Son in three-quarter dark green morocco over green cloth boards ruled in gilt. Front cover lettered in gilt" Going A Pace / Alken", spine with five raised bands paneled and lettered in gilt in compartments, plum coated endpapers, top edge gilt. Plates slightly soiled in blank margins, two very minor and expertly repaired marginal tears, the fourth plate neatly repaired in inner margin not affecting plate mark. Still a near fine example of this rare suite.

A highly amusing set of plates first issued without color (as per the Fitz Eugene Dixon copy and then issued in color the same year.

The Plates:

1. Going A Pace. [Huntsmen and hounds in gull cry]
2. Putting A Good Head To It. [Several horsemen about to jump a hurdle]
3. A Regular Purl. [ A horseman and his horse tripped headlong into a field after jumping a hurdle with other
horsemen drawing up to view the catastrophe
4. Feeling A Brook. [ Three horsemen trying to clear a brook; one has failed, and both horse and rider are precipitated
into the stream
5. Pounded. [Three horsemen looking at the barricades surrounding the field]
6. Rather Stale [Four horsemen approaching a seemingly difficult hurdle]

The only reference that we could find of this extremely rare suite was in the Fitz Eugene Dixon sale (Anderson Galleries, NY, Jan 6 & & 1937. lot 98): "A set of 6 India Proof Prints with manuscript notes by the artist, illustrating 'Thoughts While Fox Hunting"… Very unusual prints; the technique of the lithographing is very fine… These prints were also issued in color about 1833."

Not in Abbey; Bobins V, 1625: Not in Mellon; Not in Tooley.

Price: $3,500.00