[Rarebooks] FS: Victorian Fads & Follies -with Mallets (early croquet)

[Joslin Hall Rare Books]

An item from our new Bookin'! catalog =>
<http://www.joslinhall.com/Bookin-4.pdf>
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"The Laws of Croquet. Adopted at The General Conference of Croquet Clubs,
in England"

Boston; Noyes, Snow & Company: 1878. First American Edition.

The Preface to this American edition notes- "The Conference Code of
Croquet Laws - so called from its having been settled at a Conference of
all the Croquet Clubs in England - is now published in this country for
the first time. The want of a uniform set of rules of Croquet has long
been felt here, and the manual of laws is offered as bearing the stamp of
authority. There can be no reasonable doubt that the Conference code is
the best code of laws in existence, and, as it is accepted by all the
Croquet Clubs in England, and by most good players throughout that
country, its universal adoption is much to be desired. It is certainly
greatly against any game that there should be half-a-dozen or more ways of
playing it; and therefore the many varieties of rules are done away with,
and one set acknowledged as supreme, the better for the game of Croquet".

Although croquet-like games had been around since at least the 14th
century, it was in 1860s England that the modern game erupted in a fit of
Victorian exuberance for the well-manicured outdoors, good sport, and
fancy accessories. By the end of the decade it had spread to Australia,
Canada, New Zealand, South Africa, and the United States, and was said to
be especially popular because it could be played by both sexes (for better
or worse). Unfortunately for the Lords (and Ladies) of the Hoop, the 1870s
saw English croquet eclipsed by another new-fangled Victorian sport, lawn
tennis, and such fashionable clubs as Wimbledon turned their croquet
courts into tennis courts. Here in America, despite the encouragement
provided by such books as this one, croquet would soon succumb to another
young upstart sport, baseball, which is a pity, as it would be
entertaining today to see professional croquet players get 10-year, $500
million dollar contracts, and watch fans squabble about the designated
roqueter rule.

 Quite uncommon.

Softcover. 4.5"x6.5", 23 pages, diagrams. Some wear and soil, extensive
neat period pen notes.

PRICE: $250

PICTURES =>
This item & pictures from it are in our new Bookin'! catalog =>
<http://www.joslinhall.com/Bookin-4.pdf>

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JOSLIN HALL RARE BOOKS, ABAA
Fine books of the 16th-20th centuries
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