NON-EXPORTABLE

TITLE: Cricket
AUTHOR: W G Grace
PUBLISHER: J.W. Arrowsmith / Simpkin, Marshall, Hamilton, Kent & Co.
PLACE: Bristol / London
YEAR: 1891
BINDING: Publisher's original black leather over black cloth, with title and author's facsimile signature in gilt. Bevelled boards along with gilt text on the tan leather at the spine. Top edge gilt.
NO.OF PAGES: xii, 512 pp. Forty-five full page black and white illustrations, including frontispiece.
EDITION: Limited to 652 copies (plus ten Presentation copies), each signed by the author, this being no.114.
SIZE:
Height: 26 cm
Width: 20 cm
Depth: 6 cm

INSCRIBED "O. P. LANCERSHINE RECEIVED THIS BOOK APRIL 18TH 1891" IN BLACK INK ON THE TITLE PAGE

"Dr William Gilbert Grace was by common consent the greatest and most attractive figure that ever appeared on the cricket field. In his all-round mastery of the game, in the length of years during which he stood far above all rivals, in the amazing sum total of his cricketing achievements,and by no means least of all in the popular interest he excited, no cricketer, living or dead, has ever approached him, and it is doubtful if any ever will" (Obituary, The Guardian, Oct. 15, 1915)..br.

William Gilbert Grace (1848-1915) was an English amateur cricketer who was a key figure in the development of the sport and is widely acknowledged as one of the greatest players of all time. Universally known as "W.G," he played first-class cricket for a record-breaking forty-four seasons, from1865 to 1908.

Grace dominated the sport, and his technical innovations and enormous influence left a lasting legacy. He excelled at all the essential skills but his batting won him the most renown; he is considered to have invented modern batsmanship. His level of cricket expertise was unparalleled.

In many tributes, Grace was referred to as "The Great Cricketer." H S Altham, for one, described him as "the greatest of all cricketers." John Arlott summed him up as "timeless" and 'the greatest (cricketer) of them all.' CLR James, in his classic work Beyond a Boundary, included a four-chapter section, "W.G.: Pre-Eminent Victorian,' of some sixty pages. He declared Grace "the best-known Englishman of his time" and wrote of cricket as "the game he (Grace) transformed into a national institution." During Grace's lifetime, his public recognition was equalled only by Queen Victoria and William Gladstone.


CONDITION:
This lot will be sold in "as is" condition.
There may be some minor tears/creases scratches, or holes commensurate with age that may not be visible in the images.

The books on sale in this auction are rare, out-of-print and otherwise collectable, dating from the 19th century onwards. The technology and material for printing and binding books have evolved over the last few centuries. From being the exclusive preserve of Clergy and Kings to an item of everyday application, the availability and use of books have also evolved over time. Books age over time and deterioration in a book's condition depends on many factors, including the original materials used and conditions of usage over time. Books will often show signs of foxing, fading, shelf-ware or dust jacket damage through usage. Prolonged storage may also cause wormhole damage or water stains.

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