[Boxing] Egan, P(ierce), and John Babcock. Boxiana...

Egan, P(ierce).
Boxiana; or, Sketches of Antient and Modern Pugilism...
London: Printed for Sherwood, Neely, and Jones, 1818, 1818, 1821. In three volumes (First volume: From the Days of the Renowned Broughton and Slack, to the Championship of Cribb; Second volume: From the Championship of Cribb to the Present Time; Third volume: During the Championship of Cribb to Spring's Challenge to all England). First editions. 8vo. viii, 483, (1), (483)-497; viii, 310, 305-574; viii, 640 pp. Illustrated with three engraved frontispieces, an engraved vignette title-page, and 37 engraved plates. Full crimson morocco, decorated in gilt, spines darkened, joints and extremities dry and rubbed; gilt dentelles; marbled endpapers; armorial book-plate of Alexander Dennistoun on front paste-down of each volume; scattered light spotting and wear. Hartley 587, 1-3

Together with:

(Babcock, John)
Boxiana; or, Sketches of Modern Pugilism, Containing All the Transactions of Note, Connected with the Prize Ring, During the Years, 1821, 1822, 1823...
London: Printed for Sherwood, Jones and Co., (1824). First edition. 8vo. viii, 672 pp. Illustrated with an engraved frontispiece portrait; other plates bound into third and fifth volumes of this set. Bound as above. Hartley 587, 4

Together with:

Egan, Pierce
New Series of Boxiana: Being the Only Original and Complete Lives of the Boxers
London: Published by George Virtue, 1829. Second Volume (of two). First edition. 8vo. viii, 794 pp. Illustrated with an engraved frontispiece portrait and seven engraved plates. Bound as above. See Hartley 587

From the family libraries of Americana collectors and bibliophiles Amor L. and Zachary T. Hollingsworth.

A near-complete set of this classic work on boxing. Boxiana first appeared in parts and as a single volume in 1812 by publisher George Smeeton. Later, between 1818 and 1821, Pierce Egan, a journalist and one-time compositor in Smeeton's office, produced three volumes under publisher Sherwood, Neely, and Jones. Much of the material and plates for these were taken directly from Smeeton's 1812 edition. Due to a legal dispute between the publishers and Egan, the fourth volume was published in 1824, in part or full, by sports journalist John Bee (Babcock). Following a court battle in 1828, Egan was allowed to continue to publish under the title Boxiana, so long as he appended the qualifier "New Series". Under this title he then published two more volumes in 1828 and 1829. Subsequent collected editions then followed into the 19th century.

This lot is located in Philadelphia.

Darren Winston

SVP, Head of Department, Books and Manuscripts, Philadelphia

[email protected]267.414.1247

Darren Winston, Senior Vice President at Freeman’s, has served as Head of Department for Books & Manuscripts, Philadelphia, since 2018. He has been a trustee of the Rosenbach Museum and Library since 2022, is a member of The Manuscript Society, The Bibliographical Society of America, and Philadelphia’s Philobiblon Club.

Raised in northern New Jersey, Darren moved to New York City in 1988 and began his career there as a bookseller in 1995. He spent the next 18 years selling to private clients and at East Coast book fairs. In 2003 he moved with his young family to Sharon, Connecticut where, in 2009, he opened his own bookshop. Darren Winston, Bookseller offered rare and vintage books, prints, fine art, and more, and hosted over 50 book signings and art shows. He was a trustee and, later, Board President, of the Sharon Historical Society, and for six years a trustee of Indian Mountain School in Lakeville, Connecticut.

Darren has hosted the radio program "Darren Winston's Book Report" for NPR-affiliate WHDD since 2009, appeared in the 2014 book-themed documentary The Paper Trail, and in 2024 he joined Antiques Roadshow as a books and manuscripts appraiser. From 1999 to 2005, Darren was the buyer and consultant to the Fine and Rare Books Department at Asprey, the British luxury goods company, at its New York headquarters. While there he spearheaded various in-store events including readings by Salman Rushdie and Dominick Dunne.

In 1993, Darren was hired as a Creative Consultant to Columbia Records, where he assisted in the repackaging of their 12-record Aerosmith back catalogue. He later sold his extensive collection of Aerosmith memorabilia, which he began amassing at the age of 14, directly to the band.

Darren now lives on the Main Line, outside Philadelphia, with his wife, two children, and dog. The family travels frequently to his wife's native England and Scotland. When not bookselling, he plays guitar in Pumped, an Aerosmith tribute band. Darren also appears on the top-rated PBS television program Antiques Roadshow.

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[Boxing] Egan, P(ierce), and John Babcock. Boxiana...

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