Reading Copy Book Blog

It’s been a busy morning. A major newspaper in the UK needed high resolution photography of some rare books for a Christmas gift guide. Normally, this isn’t a problem – I call some booksellers and they help me out. Today’s Thanksgiving Day in the States so that means no US sellers are working and by the time I get to the office here in British Columbia the British booksellers are packing up for the day.

Any way, I’d like to thank everyone at the Peter Harrington Antiquarian Bookshop in Chelsea, London, and all the hardworking Canadian booksellers who have helped this morning. Peter Harrington offers a couple of first editions of The Dubliners by James Joyce – I love this first edition that they have had rebound in red morrocco leather. I’d also love to have $10,000 to buy it – perhaps Abe could give me a raise? How about it Mr Bezos?

Alexander Books in Ancaster, Ontario, are offering this super book for sale – Cricket in Many Climes by P.F. Warner. Sir Pelham Francis Warner MBE was known as Plum and the Grand Old Man of English cricket. He was a famous player and became somewhat infamous for being the manager of England’s Bodyline tour of Australia. I love the cover illustration of a globe that is also a cricket ball. This book was published in 1900 and is typical of the long forgotten sports books for sale on the site.

Antiquarius Booksellers in Falkland, British Columbia, were also quick to help. Check out their copy of The Jubilee Book of Cricket from 1897 by Prince Ranjitsinhji, who was Indian royalty but played his cricket for England and Sussex. Another legend of the game and one the greatest batsmen to have ever played. Imagine ruling over a sizable chunk of India and also playing a sport at the very highest level – that’s double-dipping (Mind you Princess Anne did compete in the Olympics for Britain in show-jumping so…..)

I also leapt into the car and drove to Russell Books in downtown Victoria – about a kilometer from the office. Jordan and Andrea helped out by lending me a couple of books to photograph. I love their copy of Boxing by Rowland Allanson-Winn. This book was published in 1897 and is in wonderful condition.

Rowland George Allanson Allanson-Winn was the 5th Baron Headley (1855-1935) and also known as Shaikh Rahmatullah al-Farooq, He was an Irish peer who converted to Islam. He also loved boxing. I was intrigued by the images inside the book. They don’t make boxers like these gentleman anymore. Imagine if David Haye, Britain’s heavyweight champion, strode into the ring dressed like these pair of charlies below.