SCARCE BIBLIOGRAPHY OF FISHING BOOKS

WETZEL, Charles M. American Fishing Books. Newark, Delaware: [Wetzel], 1950. Quarto, original three-quarter black morocco gilt, raised bands, blue linen boards. $1700.

Signed limited first edition, number 78 of only 200 copies, of this history of piscatorial publishing and bibliography of American imprints, illustrated with 34 facsimiles, signed by the author.

“Prior to 1800 nothing of importance had been written either on the subject of fish or fishing in America… It remained for Samuel L. Mitchill and Constantine Samuel Rafinesque to furnish the impetus which marked the beginning of our knowledge of the fish existing in this country… The outgrowth of the following catalogue resulted from the amassing of a card index file of books relating to American fish and fishing. The original intent or purpose of the file was to have conveniently at hand a list of the fishing books in my collection; however, as time went on, it was broadened to include practically everything written on the subject.”

A fine signed copy. Scarce.