The First Steeple-Chace on Record (Set of four)

London: Ben. Brooks, 1839. unbound. very good(-). J. Harris. View (set of four). Aquatint with original hand coloring. Each page measures 14" x 16".

Beautiful set of four aquatints depicting the first steeple-chase race on record. Plate I is titled "Ipswich, the Watering-place behind the Barracks", Plate II "The large field near Biles's Corner", Plate III "The last field near Nacton Heath" and Plate IV "Nacton Church and Village". Unusual for depicting night scenes, these four plates were published in "A Monthly Chronicle of The Turf, The Chase, and Rural Sports in all their Varieties", a nineteenth century monthly which reported on the present (truncated) day equestrian sporting life. Drawn by Henry Alken, a leading British sporting artist. Each plate has overall toning and minor tape residue. Tears to Plate I, tears and loss to upper left corner to Plate II, chip to lower right corner and tears to edges and center of image to Plate III, tears to Plate IV. (Inventory #: 214912)