Sports and Pastimes of the People of England by Joseph Strutt, William Hone - 1876: Including the Rural and Domestic Recreations, May Games, Mummeries, Shows, Processions, Pageants and Pompous Spectacles from the Earliest Period to the Present Time

Very good + copy of Strutt's classic study of medieval English games, sports, festival recreations and performances.

First published in 1801 and reprinted many times in both quarto and octavo editions. First quarto edition with hand-coloured lithographs of the annotated edition by William Hone of 1830.

Profusely illustrated with charming figures excerpted from illuminated manuscripts in the British Museum, the Bodleian, Harleian and Royal libraries, etc.

Joseph Strutt (1749-1802) was an English engraver, artist, antiquary and writer famous for his work on the history of English costume and sports.

William Hone (1780-1842), was an English writer, satirist and bookseller.

Contains all forms of mental and physical recreation, from archery to bell-ringing, football to apple-bobbing, chess to bear-baiting, acrobatics to golf, jousting to gambling, opera to maypole dancing.

With 140 b/w engravings in the text, and the same 140 illustrations reproduced on 40 finely hand-coloured, lithographed plates (frontispiece and XXXIX numbered plates).

Fine copy in half red morocco, five raised bands with gilt, leather title label on spine, red cloth boards, marble endpapers. Interior fine with spotless hand-coloured plates and text pages.