Sir Thomas Parkyns (1664-1741). 'Progymnasmata. The Inn-Play...

Hammer

£1,250

Sir Thomas Parkyns (1664-1741). 'Progymnasmata. The Inn-Play: Or, Cornish-Hugg Wrestler'. 'Digested in a Method which teacheth to break all Holds, and throw most Falls Mathematically. Easy to be understood by all Gentlemen, &c. and of great Use to such who understand the Small-Sword in Fencing. And by all Tradesmen and Handicrafts, that have competent Knowledge of the Use of the Stilliards, Bar, Crove-Iron or Lever, with their Hypomochlions, Fulciments or Baits,' third edition, corrected, with large additions, the bookplate of ‘Durdans’, in addition the bookstamp of 'Rosebery, Durdans', as well as the signature of F. Harvey, Hayle, bound by Francis Bedford (1779-1883) who was the foremost bookbinder of the 19th and early 20th century in goatskin, with a highly decorated tooled/gilt embossed spine, Printed for Thomas Weeks, at the White-Hart in Westminster Hall and sold by Humphry Wainwright, at Bunny, in Nottinghamshire, 1727. Sir Thomas Parkyn’s was known as 'Luctator' or the Wrestling Baronet, known as an architect and enthusiastic patron of wrestling. His 'Progymnasmata' is an important early study on Cornish Wrestling, including some notes on fencing and boxing. This was Lord Rosebery’s copy, British Prime Minster 1894-1895. He built a 'large and valuable library at Durdans, his home in Epsom, Surrey. Upon his death in 1929, Sotheby’s was instructed to sell his library which took place on the 26th June-30th June 1933 (Books, Prints, Manuscripts etc). This is a very fine copy of a very scarce work.