W.H.Aldam - “Flees And Artyfichall Flee Making”

[Walkerburt]

Picked this up at Buxton Book Fair on Sunday, it’s a very rare edition (1st issue, 1875) of a book of which probably only 200 copies were published in 1876, but only 15/20 with 1875 on the title page.

It’s in a bit of a state, missing the “Fleas” on plaques 21 and 22, it’s been rebound in green cloth, there’s foxing but very little on the plates.

The good news is that I love it to bits, and my bookbinder and an expert fly tyer will ensure it’s survival.

Kind Regards
Phil

[Duckett]

And here was me thinking, "OK, that's a genuine challenge for even the finest fly maker!"

A lovely find is that.

[Liphook]

That's a very interesting find a certainly not a book I have seen before If you struggle to find the correct hooks for the replacement dressings please drop me a PM as somewhere I have a selection of old eyed and blind patterns that might suit

[Walkerburt]

Thanks mate, that’s nice to know and very good of you.

I’ve asked Paul Morgan of Coch-y-Bonddu Books if he could let me have images of plaques 21and 22 from his copy, and being the lovely chap that he is, he’s promised to do so - so that’s another hurdle nurdled. The hook patterns for those flies should be more apparent then.

I’m going to post some more images which will show a) what the original covers looked like, and b) what my tatty rebind looks like externally. I need to discuss any rebind with John Laybourn, who is a genius when it comes to rebinds and restoration.

So that’s where we are, it’s going to be a long job, but it’ll be worth it.

Kind Regards
Phil

[Walkerburt]

In no particular order, but the James Cummins image of the original covers is the best I could find.

Kind Regards
Phil

[Nigel Rainton]

That is a lovely book :-)

[Paul F]

That is a book I've always wanted to add to my bookcase, but the price has always frightend me

well done, a great find