The leading authority on the life and works of the fisherman who turned a nation on to angling says a hand-drawn annotation makes a unique book – which goes under the hammer in the Cotswolds later this week – even more interesting.
Dr Andrew Herd is writing a book about William Blacker, the Victorian fisherman who wrote the definitive guide to angling.
Blacker’s book, the 170-year-old Art of Angling, and Complete System of Fly Making, and Dying of Colours turned angling from a gentleman’s pastime into a national hobby.
Blacker was an expert salmon and trout fisherman and his fly designs – actual examples of which are attached to the pages of the book – were so radical that Art and Angling became an instant hit.
Even Prince Albert bought a copy, which remains in the Queen’s collection at Balmoral.
As Blacker tied the flies himself, no two copies of the book are the same.
And Dr Herd, whose book Blacker will be published over three volumes beginning next year, says a sketch of a pointing finger will make the auction copy even more interesting to collectors.
The six-inch-tall book – designed to fit into an angler’s jacket pocket – is being auctioned by Moore Allen & Innocent in Cirencester on Friday, October 25, 2013, with a guide price of £5,000 to £8,000.
“Blacker sold the book from his tackle shop in Soho,” explained Dr Herd, who has had the chance to examine detailed photographs of the Moore Allen copy of the book.
“The first issue probably had a run of 500 copies, and I doubt there were very many more of the second issue – perhaps between 500 and 1,000.
“The pen-drawn hand and the word ‘Generosity!!!’ are definitely by Blacker – he had a very distinctive G.
“I’ve seen Blacker’s hand-written amendments in early copies of the book, but I’ve never seen a line drawing like this,” he said.
“You can imagine Blacker drawing this on the counter of his Soho tackle shop, in front of the purchaser.”
The finger is pointing towards a pocket in the inside cover of the book, and there is speculation that the pocket contained an extra fly, hence Blacker’s use of the phrase ‘Generosity!!!’.
Auctioneers are anticipating a great deal of interest in the book – a second issue of the first edition, with 31 of the original 39 flies intact.
And Dr Herd, who himself has only ever seen “a grand total of 28 copies of this rare book,” said: “Copies do not surface very often, and with a guide of £5,000 to £8,000 this may be the only opportunity many collectors get to bid on a Blacker they can afford.”
And for those unlucky enough to miss out, the second volume of Dr Herd’s Blacker will contain photographs of each edition, from front to back, while volume three will contain replicas of Blacker’s flies. Volume one concentrates on Blacker’s life and works.
Blacker’s Art of Angling will be sold at Moore Allen & Innocent’s selected book and picture sale on Friday, October 25, 2013, from 10.30am. For a full auction catalogue, log on to www.mooreallen.co.uk
