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Biddlecombe, George.
The Art of Rigging [Gift inscribed to Jeremiah Clarke Richardson].
Publisher: Charles Wilson, London;
Date of Publication: 1848
Stock Code: 14516
First illustrated edition. Octavo in 4’s, pp., xii, 136. Complete with 15 steel engraved illustrated plates including gatefold frontispiece, and 8 folding leaves of tables, as called for. Bound in the original mid-nineteenth century sea green publisher’s cloth, with blind stamped borders and corner fleurons, with gilt ship centrepiece to upper board, gilt spine titles. Sympathetically re-backed, cloth lightly soiled and rubbed to corners, gilt bright. Contents tight and secure with all plates and tables present and free from tears, some plates lightly foxed, historic former owner inscriptions to flyleaf. A very good copy. Widely regarded as the finest comprehensive manual on the mastery of ship rigging. Written by the accomplished hydrographer, Captain George Biddlecombe (1807-1878) who was knighted for his service by Queen Victoria in 1873. With an interesting maritime provenance; gift inscribed to J[eremiah] Clarke Richardson (1822-) in year of publication, one half of the Victorian Swansea shipbuilders and brigantine fleet owners, The Richardson Brothers. £180.00