In both England and the United States, the decades on either side of the turn of the 20th century saw an impressive outpouring of sporting literature that has enduring value, not only for the collector, but for avid readers as well. Indeed, much of this material — never mind that more than a century has passed since its original appearance — retains appeal as fine literature and for its informational value.
English publications tended to be massive encyclopedias with noted experts writing on a wide range of subjects (Theodore Roosevelt contributed to such works), while on this side of the Atlantic sporting book series enjoyed great popularity. Among them were works from Forest and Stream Publishing, Outing Publishing Company, and others.
One of the most interesting series came from The Macmillan Company and was known as “The American Sportsman’s Library.” The series appeared under the general editorship of Caspar Whitney, one of the leading lights in turn-of-the-century sporting literature. There were 16 titles published in the Library altogether, but only nine of them are of note for those of the hook-and-bullet persuasion. The remaining seven dealt with subjects such as yachting, horses and horse racing, photography, rowing, and tennis. Those that do deal with hunting and fishing remain of considerable interest, and in a two-part offering we will look first at the three books on fishing and then at the six dealing with hunting.
Prior to delving into the subject material of individual titles, however, a bit of information about the series from the perspective of a book collector or bibliophile might be of interest. Unlike cheaply produced volumes from other companies, or for that matter the later “Outing Handbooks” from Macmillan, the first editions in The American Sportsman’s Library exuded quality. They were nicely bound, used high-quality paper, and were in every sense premium publications. There was also a deluxe edition of each work with a quite small imitation and lovely binding. First editions and especially the sumptuous limited editions bring premium prices. However, there were later editions, often several of them, between 1903 and 1920, and in 1924 Macmillan did reprints in a smaller format.
The three angling titles are landmark works and feature authors who must be reckoned household names in the world of fishing literature. They include Dean Sage et al., Salmon and Trout (1902—with illustrations by A. B. Frost and others); Charles Holder, The Big Game Fishes of the United States (1903—with eight color plates and 33 black-and-white illustrations); and James A. Henshall, Bass, Pike, Perch and Other Game Fishes of America (1903—with 19 black-and-white illustrations taken from original paintings).
Dean Sage is probably best remembered for his landmark work, The Ristigouche and Its Salmon Fishing, a classic in every sense of the word. He was also a noted bibliophile, and his library of angling books was widely considered one of the finest of its time. Other original contributors to Salmon and Trout, which has gone through numerous printings and had some content changes in later editions, included Charles Townsend, Hugh Smith, and William Charles Harris.
Charles Holder was a prolific writer who dabbled in biography, fiction for boys, and other genres in addition to sporting literature. Among his other noteworthy outdoor titles are Big Game at Sea, The Fishes of the Pacific Coast, and Life in the Open (which includes hunting as well as fishing). His Big Game Fishes remains a standard reference work.
James A. Henshall is best remembered for one of the enduring classics of angling literature, Book of the Black Bass, and for his comment on the black bass, suggesting that “ounce for ounce, and pound for pound, it is the gamest fish that swims.” I would stridently differ with that assessment, but there is no doubt that Henshall held the black bass in the highest esteem.
Another popular book of his was Favorite Fish and Fishing. Its coverage is somewhat similar to Bass, Pike, Perch and Other Game Fishes of America.
This trio of angling titles from the American Sportsman’s Library are richly deserving of attention from today’s fisherman, and can be found, at least in later printings, without too much searching or damage to the bottom line of one’s bank account.
The second part of Casada’s American Sportsman Library synopsis will appear next week. In the meantime, be sure to visit Sporting Classics Store to find other vintage sporting titles worthy of praise and appreciation.