A Set of Six Plates on Horse Riding by Alken, Henry - 1821

London: Thomas McLean, 1821. First Edition. Half Calf. Paper pastedown on boards. . Fine. A handsome modern binding of six hand-colored plates which were issued separately, or as a folio, and not in book-form, in 1821. Elephantine oblong, 33 by 54 cm. The plates themselves are laid in a heavy board frame within the binding, and this frame has a window of 24 by 30 cm, which exposes about 4 cm of margin all around the images. The plates are titled: "Delighted", "Dissatisfied", "Perfectly Satisfied", "Displeased", "Surprised" and "Terrified". They are humorous takes on two gentlemen riding, not necessarily foxhunting. The men are opposites in their riding style, both exemplifying ineptitude and inexperience, though. The suite is very much in the vein of Alken stylistically, and also in the vein of such print series issued in profusion at the time. Obviously, such series usually ended up decorating walls, and so it is quite unusual and nice to have the suite survive intact and to have it bound so handsomely. With also a title page. Leather title label on front board.