PLAIN OR RINGLETS?

Octavo; viii, 406 pages, decorated red cloth; the spine is chipped and has a vertical split (with some looseness to the text block toward the center). Ex libris Oliver [Hazard Perry] Belmont, and with his presentation inscription to William Tiffany "from his cousin / Oliver H.P. Belmont". Tiffany , Belmont were both related to Commodore Oliver Hazard Perry (while the Belmont Stakes horse race was named for Oliver's father, August Belmont, which may explain a family interest in horses; indeed, Oliver's Newport, R.I. mansion, Belcourt, had its first floor devoted to stabling his prize horses ). Tiffany's daring with the Rough Riders at San Juan was rewarded with a promotion to Lieutenant. Tiffany escaped the bullets, but succumbed at age 25, in 1898, to the Cuban fever and lack of proper nourishment. With a store label from Librarie Galignani, Paris. Belmont honeymooned at Paris in 1883 This was originally published in twelve parts from 1858 - 1860. Illustrated with 13 hand-colored plates by John Leech, whose drawings of horses were considered superb, with plentiful textual drawings by him in black-and-white. Note: the original edition was published by Bradbury & Evans.…