The Allahakbarrie Book of Broadway Cricket for 1899

[London]: Privately Printed, 1899. First edition. Illustrations. 33, [3, blank] pp. 1 vols. Square 12mo. Parchment wrappers titled in gilt, marked Private. Fine. In blue half morocco slipcase. First edition. Illustrations. 33, [3, blank] pp. 1 vols. Square 12mo. Barrie's team of authors and artists was founded in 1887, and was active from 1890 to 1913. According to his own account in The Greenwood Hat, they thought 'Allahakbar' was African for 'Heaven help us', and his less than skilfull team therefore became the “'Allahakbars', afterwards changed with complimentary intention to 'Allahakbarries'” (see Janet Dunbar, J.M. Barrie, 1970, p. 111). Broadway (truncated) was both where the team played and the name of their opponents.
Among the literary notables who played for the team are: A.A. Milne, author of the Pooh books, Sir Arthur Conan Doyle, P.G. Wodehouse, H.G. Wells, Rudyard Kipling, E.W. Hornung, author of the Raffles books, and G.K. Chesterton. This celebratory publication of the annual engagement is very rare, copies only being circulated among team members and close friends. Taylor p. 28; Padwick 1296 (Inventory #: 329868)