The Wilderness Hunter by Theodore Roosevelt, First Edition, 1893

Roosevelt, Theodore. The Wilderness Hunter: An Account of the Big Game of the United States and its Chase with Horse, Hound, and Rifle. New York and London: G. P. Putnam’s Sons, 1893. First edition. Octavo. In original green cloth boards with black titles and a gilt antelope on the front, gilt titles and decoration to the spine. Illustrated with 23 plates. Presented with a new archival slipcase. 

Presented is a first edition printing of Theodore Roosevelt’s The Wilderness Hunter: An Account of the Big Game of the United States and its Chase with Horse, Hound, and Rifle. Published simultaneously in London and New York by G. P. Puntam’s Sons in 1893, this book was electrotyped, printed, and bound by The Knickerbocker Press in New York. The book is presented in its original green cloth boards, with black titles and a gilt antelope on the front board and gilt titles, border decoration, and a decorative crossed knife and rifle embossed on  the spine. The book is profusely illustrated throughout, with 23 full-page plates by some of the leading illustrators of the day, including A. B. Frost, Henry Sandham, J. Carter Beard, Frederic Remington, and Harry Eaton. 

The Wilderness Hunter is a companion to Roosevelt’s previously published The Hunting Trips of a Ranchman. This volume explores big-game hunting in the United States. Roosevelt offers a brief history of the American West, its pioneers and its settlers, before expounding on its big game. With chapters on hunting from the ranch, the plains, the hills, and the mountains, he explores the big game found in each terrain, offering tips and divulging his own stories and experiences. He discusses hunting with hounds, horses, and rifles, and even delves into some hunting lore. Throughout the book’s entirety, he champions the adventurous lifestyle and spirit of big-game hunting.  

The book was very well received upon publication. A New York Times 1893 book reviewer wrote, “[Roosevelt] tells the story of the life of a hunter of big game in the far West, without romance and with admirable clearness. The cowboy figures in this narrative as a rational, understandable human being. The chase of the elis, the cougar, the white goat, and the wapiti is described with no lack of picturesque detail, and a simplicity and vigor of style that stirs the blood of the reader. There is not a trace of affectation or vainglory in Mr. Roosovelt's account of his hunting adventures… He loves the excitement of the chase, and the out-of-the-door life among the mountains and on the broad plains and he seeks to inspire others with a love of those things.”

CONDITION:

Very good+ condition. First Edition. Octavo. In original green cloth boards, with black titles and a gilt antelope embossed on the front, gilt titles, crossed rifle and knife, and gilt border decoration embossed on the spine. Wear to corners of the cloth, sunning and bumping along the top and bottom of spine, stains along bottom of back board. Clean and bright interior pages, with minimal paper toning. Illustrated with 23 plates, all accounted for. Inscribed on the front free endpaper “Stanton Mott/ from Papa” in black ink. Presented with new archival slipcase. 

Book Dimensions: 9 3/8" H x 6 1/4" W x 1 1/2" D. Slipcase dimensions: 9 3/4" H x 6 5/8" W x 2" D.

Accompanied by our company's letter of authenticity.