BRITCHER, (Samuel).

A COMPLETE SET OF ALL FIFTEEN FACSIMILE EDITIONS OF BRITCHER'S SCORES. TOGETHER WITH A VOLUME OF COMMENTARY ON EACH VOLUME BY DAVID RAYVERN ALLEN.
Newnham on Severn, 2003.
Sixteen volumes. 8vo. Folding frontispiece, 5 plates (1 folding), and other text illustrations. A complete set of fifteen volumes of Britcher's scores, each bound in wrappers. The commentary volume is bound in cloth. Preserved in a handsome custom-made quarter morocco drop-back box, in a cloth slipcase. Good condition.
LIMITED EDITION of 212 numbered sets, SIGNED BY TIM RICE (then President of MCC). Britcher's scores of principal matches was first published in 1790, containing scores of principal matches played in that year. It was then published annually until 1803. A final edition was published in 1806, with scores of the principal matches played in 1804 and 1805. This was the first-ever cricket annual, and lists full scores of the principal matches played each year, not just in London but over the country. The original editions are very rare, and the only complete set of original editions is held in the MCC Library at Lord's. This set of facsimile reprints of all fifteen editions is accompanied by a lengthy commentary on each edition, specially written by David Rayvern Allen. Much original research has gone into this commentary, which includes details of many of the players of the day, notes on each match, and details of where each original edition was held. Bowen, Cricket Quarterly, Vol 8, (1970): 'Britcher must be quite one of the rarest cricket annuals of all...and we believe we would be absolutely safe in asserting that of the fifteen issues (which covered sixteen seasons, and were issued over seventeen years) no more than fifty copies at the very outside still exist.' Gaston, Bibliography of Cricket, 1895, does not record any editions of Britcher, suggesting that this title has been rare since the 19th century. The omission is even more surprising as Gaston does record the even scarcer Epps scores. Taylor, Catalogue of Cricket Literature, 1906: 'The first edition, consisting of 28pp. was published in 1791 [sic] by D. Chalmers, Maidstone. The issue for 1792 was printed by Cane and Glindon, Leicester Fiele, [sic] and was entitled A Complete List of all the Grand Matches, etc. The title-page of the 1793 edition, except for imprint, London, printed in the year 1793, is the same. A curious error occurs in the fifth issue (increased to 30pp.), the year being printed 1974 instead of 1794. The issue for 1795 was further increased to 36pp., the articles of Cricket as revised by the Cricket Club at St. Mary-le-bone being inserted for the first time. The 1796 issue was printed by T. Craft, printer to the Marylebone Cricket Club, and embraced 40pp., including three paragraphs relating to Bets. In 1802 the issue was reduced to 30pp., and was printed for the compiler by William Calvert, London. The 1803 edition was from the press of G.G. Hayden, London, and consisted of 35pp.; the word Marylebone being printed Marybone. The last issue (30pp.) containing the matches played in 1804 and 1805, was published by Stanhope and Graham, and printed by G. Hayden, London, 1806. Several issues have yet to be unearthed, but it is safe to assume that the complete series embrace fifteen annual editions. In conjunction with Epps' book of scores a collector was once asked £40 for a single copy of the above! It is doubtful whether a complete run will ever be collected. Under the hammer such a set would undoubtedly realise £50.' In a rare error in Taylor's Catalogue of Cricket Literature the 1790 edition is not recorded, although Taylor correctly calls for fifteen volumes in a set. Goldman, Bibliography of Cricket, 1937: 'All are extremely rare - a complete set is unknown. Perhaps the rarest of known cricket items.' See Padwick 869. (This set of facsimile reprints was published in 2003 at £450).
[ref: 49129]   £200.00  enquire    buy