Ideas, Accidental and Incidental To Hunting and Other Sports;

London: Thomas M'Lean, 1826-30. First Edition, Early Issue
The Mishaps of a Maladroit Equestrian On The Hunt
And Coaches Out of Control
"Have You Any Idea Which Way The Hounds Went?

ALKEN, Henry. Ideas, Accidental and Incidental To Hunting and Other Sports.; Caught in Leicestershire, &c. London: Thomas M'Lean, n.d. [1826-1830].

First edition, early issue, with plates dated 1826-1830 and watermarked 1828. Upright folio (14 1/8 x 10 5/8 inches; 358 x 270 mm). Letterpress title and forty-two hand colored soft-ground etchings with protective interleaves.
Plate number 26 with inner marginal insect damage just touching image, plate numbers 15 & 16 with small spot on the inner blank side margin.

Contemporary half dark green morocco over tan cloth boards, front cover with rectangular maroon morocco label, decoratively bordered and lettered in gilt. Spine with five shallow 'triple' bands decoratively stamped and lettered in gilt in compartments, all edges rough gilt, pale blue endpapers. Top of spine and corners a little rubbed. With the bookplate of R. Ackermann, Junr. Regent Street, and also the publisher's original small square label "Ideas, by H. Alken. 42 Plates. Price £4. 10s. half-bound" on front paste-down.

A superb example of this wonderful and highly amusing Alken rarity.

A fine copy of the rare first edition. The plates depicting humorous equestrian incidents and the dangers often associated when out hunting and not fully in control of your horse. Here we see Alken's skills of composition, his understanding of horses in motion, combined with his brilliant talent for drawing to produce one of the most amusing books on hunting and coaching.

"This book was published in 1830. The humorous text is etched on the plates, which were originally issued serially in seven wrappers parts from 1827 [1826] through 1830. The letterpress title-page and publisher's issue binding make a 'book' out of what would otherwise be an assembly of prints" (Mellon/Podeschi).

"First issued in upright folio [as here]. A fire consumed part of the stock, and the plates were reissued in oblong folio. These latter are inferior" (Tooley).

The draftmanship is good, the colouring vivid, and the inscriptions on the plates are humourous. No copies in British Museum" (Schwerdt).

Bobins II, 760; Mellon/Podeschi 136; Tooley 36; Schwerdt I, pp. 17-18; Siltzer, p. 72; Maggs catalog #802 (1951) item 57 (£225).

The Plates:

1. My good people I beg you not to disturb yourselves but have you any Idea which way the Hounds went (1830).
2. I say my good woman have you any Idea how they manage here to get a horse out of a brook? (1826).
3. They may call this pleasure, but I have an Idea that it has brought me into considerable trouble (1826).
4. I say my dear fellow I have an Idea that it will make a considerable alteration to your personal appearance (1826).
5. I say my hearty fellow, have you any Idea where I can get a personal conveyance to Melton? (1826).
6. I say my good fellow have you not an Idea that this hunting is exceedingly dangerous? (1826).
7. I say old furnace, have you any Idea how far it is to Melton? (1826).
8. I say old buck, have you any Idea where I can find the hounds? / Begging your pardon Sir... (1827).
9. I had not the most distant Idea of what was on the other side (1827).
10. I shall soon loose all my Ideas (1827).
11. I say my hearty chap have you any Idea what ought to be done in the present case. (1827).
12. I have an Idea he is going and with him my 150 Guineas (1827).
13. I do not think he has an Idea left / But I have an Idea that he is dead (1827).
14. I have an Idea its ten to one but we are down now &c. (1827). (Small spot on blank side margin).
15. I say my clever feller, have you an Idea you can make this thing capable of progression? (1827).
16. I say Captain, I have an Idea we have run foul of several things in our passage (1827).
17. I have an Idea my Lord that nothing but Time or a stone wall will stop them &c (1827).
18. I say my dear Sir, have you not an Idea that there is considerable danger in the present case? (1827).
19. I have an Idea that I have got them rather too much together now (1827).
20. I say Bob you addent an Idea I could ride so well as you / I can't look just now... (n.d).
21. My high Tom, I have an Idea we shall soon be off, &c. (n.d).
22. I ave an Idea I am down now Tom (n.d).
23. I say my buck you avent no Idea where the Ounds are, ave you? (n.d).
24. I say Joe you addent no idea it was so deep, ad you, &c. (n.d).
25. I say my boy we ave got some Ideas about the Unting now avent we? (n.d).
26. By George Harry, I have an Idea that the thing is not quite so easy as I anticipated (1830).
27. My good fellow I have an idea that I shall be right on the top of you (1830).
28. I have an Idea that this is a situation that this of considerable difficulty (1830).
29. I have an Idea that this is a most important and effective Fall (1830).
30. My dear fellows I should be extremely sorry to speak of any Country with disrespect but I have an Idea that the
water here abouts is not exceedingly fragrant (1830).
31. You can have no Idea what a magnificent day I have had (1830).
32. This is just to give you an Idea of a Steeple Chase (1830).
33. I have an Idea that this is our Yeoman Cavalry races (1830).
34. I have a strong Idea we shall hit som' thing this time (1830).
35. Is that really a Are, &c. (1830).
36. I begin to have an Idea that this Tandem driving is not altogether free from danger (1830).
37. I had not the most distant Idea of Getting in such sport as this (1830).
38. My good fellows I have an Idea that this sort of gate was make for only one at a time to go through (1830).
39. I have an Idea that this Fence is either too High or that my Horse is too Short (1830).
40. I have no idea what could induce me to follow you over this d...d rotten Bridge (1830).
41. I have an Idea I shall win now if I can but carry in my weight (1830).
42. I positively have no Idea what I am to do in this case &c. (1830).