THE GAME OF BILLIARDS : Eighth Edition, Revised, Enlarged and Richly Embellished with Illustrations

New York: Dick & Fitzgerald, 1866. Cloth. Near Very Good/No Jacket. Most interesting scarce, early work on American Billiards by an expert & innovator. Frontispiece illustrated with a Monochrome Engraved Portrait of Phelan with facsimilie signature beneath, protected by tissue guard. Well illustrated with Diagrams, Superior Views of Shots on the Table and illustrations of Players. Preface for Eigth Edition dated 1866. Contents include: the Machinery of Billiards; General Principles; Cue Positions; Technical Phrases; Codes to Regulate the different forms of Billiards in the U.S. and the American or 4 Ball game; 15 Ball Pool; French, Russian, Spanish & English Games, 2 Ball Pool. Pin. Pool, English Pool, Nearest Ball Pool & more. Also 3 interesting Chapters on Attitude, Ancient & Modern Billiards, and Shakespeare as a Billiards Player. Contemporary Blue cloth cover with imitation leather texture. Gilt Lettering with Gilt Linear Borders to front & spine. Blind Stamped Linear border. Beveled Edges. 264 Pages + Publisher's adverts. 7 3/4" Tall, 430g. Slight edge wear at tips of corners & spine ends with some fraying at top of spine. Small patch of slightly faded colour at bottom right edge. Previous owner's name on free endpaper (old inscription) which has been mirriored on endpaper probably due to closing book while ink still wet. No other inscriptonsapart form a pencil sketch of a tree on rear endpaper and pencil price and a few numbers on rear free endpaper. Hinges sound & Binding firm. Pages in nice, clean condition. Size: 12mo - over 6¾" - 7¾" tall