[Cheny (John) and Thomas Butler, publishers]. [Horses & Their Pedigrees], 34 plates of racehorses engraved by H. Roberts, Parr and Canot after T. Spencer, each portrait surrounded by engraved text, some light surface creasing, autograph index to front free endpaper in a contemporary hand, bookplate to front pastedown, contemporary calf-backed boards, rebacked, morocco label to upper cover, preserved in custom drop-back box with bookplate to inside lid, [Bobins 1196; Lane 168; Snelgrove, British sporting and animal prints, p. 157-170; Sparrow, p.77; cf. Siltzer 389; not in Schwerdt or Huth], oblong folio, [Cheny & Butler], 1740-1746 or 1751-1753.

⁂ Rare. Sparrow notes its rarity in 1922, 'rare no doubt, because so many of the copies have been broken up in order that the prints might be sold one by one' (W.S. Sparrow, British Sporting Artists). The last auction record of a complete copy of this particular edition appears to be the sale of the H.R.H The Prince Henry, Duke of Gloucester, held at Christie's, South Kensington (26th January 2006, see lot 599, which sold for £66,000 incl. premium). Yale Centre for British Art hold 3 copies, each with varying numbers of plates [see acc. no. Folio A 2011 88].

Provenance: John Spencer Stanhope; Fermor Hasketh (bookplates).