Ayres' Cricket Companion

Publication: London, F. H. Ayres Ltd., 1914 Formatting: Small 8vo, pp. 219. Condition Report Good. The original cloth-backed pictorial boards show evident signs of use, commensurate with its age and ephemeral almanac format. A prominent vertical crease runs down the centre of both the front and rear boards, indicating historical folding, though the structural integrity remains solid. The paper-covered boards display expected age-toning, localised surface soiling, and minor shelf-wear to the extremities, particularly around the corners. The dark cloth spine strip is faded and rubbed but largely intact, maintaining a firm and tight binding. Internally, the text block exhibits standard light browning to the page margins, but the pages remain bright and highly legible without any loose leaves or significant tearing. Catalogue Note This is the thirteenth annual issue of the illustrated Ayres' Cricket Companion. Published primarily in pictorial boards, these fragile sporting almanacs were heavily handled and frequently discarded, making surviving pre-World War I editions uncommonly found on the open market today. The book is notable for its extensive preliminary and rear advertising sections, offering a fantastic glimpse into Edwardian sporting retail and patent medicines. It features a charming contemporaneous ink inscription on the front preliminary advertisement page reading "G. Garland / Railway Hotel / Petworth." This pleasing touch of provenance connects this specific copy to a known historical Sussex coaching inn, adding an appealing layer of regional social history. First published in 1902 to rival Wisden, Ayres' Cricket Companion provided an essential and highly respected annual record of the game. Edited by W. R. Weir, the 1914 issue—the final regular edition published before the outbreak of the First World War disrupted the sport—delivers comprehensive statistics, county and international fixtures, player biographies, and detailed reviews of the 1913 season. It is particularly renowned for its in-depth coverage and well-researched studies of public school cricket, making it an invaluable primary resource for dedicated historians and enthusiasts of the Golden Age of cricket.…