This 3 volume set of Racing Illustrated magazine bound into books contains every weekly issue of "Racing Illustrated" published between July 2, 1895 and December 30, 1896. Edited by Henry Smurthwaite and published at the offices of "The Sportsman", printed by Hudson & Kearns. All 3 volumes are bound in the publisher's original crocodile skin effect donkey brown cloth covers, with gilt title lettering and a rider's cap, crop, and horse shoe on the front cover (the page edges are also gilded). "Racing Illustrated" featured the best breeders, owner, jockeys and thoroughbreds of the English, Irish, and Australian racing seasons between 1895 and 1896. Each volume contains an index at the front to help find people, places, and thoroughbreds contained in each volume. Each volume is extensively illustrated with clear monochrome photographs. Volume 1 contains the July 2nd, 1895 thru Nov. 27th, 1895 issues and has 388 pages (it measures 14 5/8" tall x 10 1/4" wide x 1 1/4" thick, and weighs 6 lbs 12.7 oz). Volume 2 contains the Dec. 4th, 1895 thru June 24th, 1896 issues and has 610 pages (it measure 14 5/8" tall x 10 1/4" wide x 1 3/4" thick, and weighs 9 lbs 6.7 oz). Volume 3 contains the July 1st, 1896 thru Dec. 30th, 1896 issues and has 648 pages (it measures 14 5/8" tall x 10 1/4" wide x 1 7/8" thick, and weighs 9 lbs 8 oz). All the volumes have wear to the corners of the covers and wear to the top and bottom of the spines (keep in mind that this set is 128 years old). Volumes 1 and 3 have no tears or damage to any of the pages (I have gone thru each volume page by page), there are only some brown foxing marks on some of the pages due to the age of the paper. Volume 2 is the only volume with tearing to one of its pages; page 153 was torn when some sort of sticky brown substance stuck page 153 to page 155 (see photos 11 & 12). These pages are still stuck together at their leading edges, and I think they will need a professional book restorer to unstick them without further tearing. This same brown substance also stained the two pages after and before pages 153 and 155. These books aren't just a record of thoroughbred racing in the 19th century, but a historical record of British society at the end of the 19th century. An entire way of life revolved around the racing season and in "Racing Illustrated" you will find the places, people, and homes that were at the center of this horse racing society.  

Note: Due to the weight of each volume, I thought the safest way to pack them would be to ship them in 3 individual boxes; so, expect to receive three packages when you place this order. This set will be ready to ship within one to two business day of receiving your order and ships with the US Postal Service which includes tracking.