THE SHOOTING DIRECTORY
Book Details + Condition: Longman, Hurst, Rees, and Orme (London). 1804. Hardcover. 432 pages. First edition (early printing) of the classic sporting guide The Shooting Directory by Richard Badham Thornhill, featuring charts and full-page illustrations, as well as still-blank tables for the reader to use. Illustrated with 6 full-page engraved plates, 3 full-page engraved chart plates, and 3 fold-outs. First edition, early printing due to the fact that it does not include pages 214-220, which were suppressed after the first issue. These pages highly criticized the hunting ability and shooting techniques of King George III. It is certainly because of these claims that, following the book's publication, Thornhill moved from England to live full-time in Paris. Topics include hunting dog breeds, types of fowl and game, gun usage, and more. Handwritten notes and a pencil-drawn picture of a dog to end. Heavily rubbed boards, corners and edges; some paper removed from original marbled paper boards; boards have been re-attached at some point (not uncommon with these larger editions); antique bookplates to inside front board (Yale University Library, Killy-Main-Llwyd Library); antique hunting dog card pasted on rear inside board; interior is free of markings.
