The Hitchcock Edition of Somerville and Ross. With ALS & Pen & Ink Drawing, SIGNED by Somerville, Smith, & Louise Hitchcock:

New York: Privately printed by the Derrydale Press, 1927. Complete in 7 variously paginated & profusely illustrated tall octavo volumes. Limited edition, an assembled set, volume one number 440 of 500, the others number 435. Original green cloth with pairs of gilt-lettered black leather spine labels on each volume, the upper covers with armorial crests in gilt. Volume one with large, lithographed "by the name of Howe" bookplate at the front blank. Partially unopened.

This set signed by illustrator & author Edith Somerville at the half-title page of volume one. Tipped to the verso is an autograph letter signed from Somerville to Harry Worcester Smith on "Drishane House" letterhead (2 pp, approximately 236 words recorded in purple ink recto & verso). Responding to a letter from Harry Worcester Smith, founder of the Masters of Foxhounds Association in America, Ms Somerville replies on July 6, 1928 She indicates that she is supplying sketches at his request which are "re-drawn little subjects from my "Patrick's Day Hunt" for Mr Carvan" and is additionally enclosing "a little scribble that, I hope, may amuse you" The "little scribble" is quite probably the adjacent sketch. In the penultimate paragraph, Ms Somerville notes that she was delighted to receive the first printings from "Mr [Eugene] Connett" which filled her with "renewed gratitude to the kind originator and guarantor of the effort."

Following the ALS on an adjacent tipped-in leaf is an original pen & ink drawing by Somerville (initialed by her below the image) which is also signed by Louise Hitchcock and Smith in the upper margin.

The Hitchcock Edition of the Sporting Works of Somerville & Ross is dedicated to Mrs Thomas Hitchcock (Louise Eustis Hitchcock), of Aiken, South Carolina. Louise and husband Tommy, a leading polo player also known as the "father of American Steeplechase racing," presided over Aiken's Winter Colony, a playground for the country's wealthiest families including Whitneys, Iselins, Phippses, Vanderbilts, Mellons, and Astors.

Bindings spotted (heavily at times), lightly rubbed, a few bruised corners, a few spine labels with small chips briefly affecting text, 14 leaves in volume seven with insect damage to the top quarter inch of the upper margin (diminishing front to back, text unaffected), still serviceable and offered with all faults.

Please note, this set weighs 12 lbs bubble wrapped & boxed Shipping is at at cost by Media mail within the US & Priority mail only internationally.