| Method | |
| Artist | Nicholson, William |
| Published | Published by William Heinemann. London. 1898 [1897] |
| Dimensions | Folio. 320 x 260 mm |
| Notes |
First edition. Popular issue, published 1897 but postdated 1898. Publishers' tan cloth-backed picture boards. Titled on front in black, with two colour lithographed illustration of a coaching gentleman above title on front. Three colour lithographed publishers device of a windmill and initials 'W.H.' to back board. Title page featuring three colour publishers device, double-page calendar for the year 1898, and 12 three or four colour lithographs from the original woodcuts of the édition de luxe. Accompanying short poems by Rudyard Kipling to facing pages of plates. Lithographed advertisement for Nicholson's companion 'An Alphabet' series before back endpaper. Light wear, scuffing, and foxing to boards. 'Henry Sotheran Ltd' bookplate to front pastedown. Small tear to bottom edge of front endpaper. Internally, some foxing and old adhesive staining to endpapers, some light offsetting to backs of plates, but otherwise a clean crisp copy. The popular, or 'Ordinary' edition of Nicholson's Sporting Almanac, the second of five illustrated series of Nicholson's published by William Heinemann, following the success of his iconic Alphabet series. Like The Alphabet, his Almanac appeared in three different editions, a de luxe example featuring woodcuts coloured by hand, and two lithographed editions, a 'Library' issue with the plates on Japanese vellum, and, as here, a popular edition hand printed on cartridge paper. The Almanac was also the first of Nicholson's illustrated series to feature accompanying text by leading lights of the late Victorian literary world, in this case Rudyard Kipling. Kipling, famously outspoken about his dislike of sports and the sporting set, was perhaps not the natural first choice, though his short poems, ranging from the playful to the outright sarcastic, are the perfect companions to Nicholson's characters. Sir William Newzam Prior Nicholson (1872 - 1949) was a British artist. A painter of landscapes, still life, and portraits most notably, he is also remembered for his distinctive illustrative work and for his creative partnership with his brother-in-law, James Pryde. Nicholson studied at Hubert von Herkomer's art school and it was here that he met James Pryde and his sister Mabel, whom Nicholson later married. The pair collaborated under the pseudonym "Beggarstaff" producing fine graphical works and posters. Their work was influential in its design and had an important impact on the poster art movement of the late 19th and early 20th centuries. |
| Framing | |
| Price | £1,000.00 |
| Stock ID | 52724 |