[Rarebooks] FS: The Second American Book on Billiards, 1863
Charles Agvent
charles at charlesagvent.com
Fri Aug 25 15:05:59 EDT 2023
PHELAN, Michael. THE GAME OF BILLIARDS. New York: D. Appleton and
Company, 1863. Fifth Edition. "Revised, Enlarged, and Richly Embellished
with Engravings." Decorated cloth. First published in 1856, all editions
of this early billiards book, the second American book on the game, are
scarce. The author, Michael Phelan, also published the first American
book on the game, BILLIARDS WITHOUT MASTER, just thirteen years before
this edition. Considered the father of American billiards, Phelan was
influential in devising rules and setting standards of behavior, holds
many patents for table designs and cushions, and is credited as being
the first to put diamonds on tables. Phelan almost single-handedly
turned American billiards into a socially acceptable pastime. This book
is indeed richly embellished with engravings, mostly full-page diagrams
showing shots on tables but also including full-page and text engravings
of people playing billiards. The author covers rules, practical advice,
and the history of the game, including a brief chapter on Shakespeare as
a billiards player. There are four pages of ads at the end with two
illustrations. This book appears to have had a frontispiece portrait of
the author. A tissue guard is present, and there is a very, very faint
image on the verso of the opposite page indicating that the portrait
would have been removed long ago. Despite the missing portrait, a Fine,
bright copy of this uncommon title. (#013615) $750
https://www.charlesagvent.com/pages/books/013615/michael-phelan/the-game-of-billiards
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