{"product_id":"a-quaint-treatise-on-flees-and-the-art-a-artyfichall-flee-making","title":"A Quaint Treatise on “Flees, and the Art a Artyfichall Flee Making”","description":"\u003cp\u003e6b W. H. Aldam.  A\u003cem\u003e Quaint Treatise on Flies and Fly Making by an Old Fisherman. \u003c\/em\u003eLondon: John B. Day, 1876. \u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eNotes\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan\u003eA Quaint Treatise on “Flees, and the Art a Artyfichall Flee Making” was f\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan\u003eirst published in London by John B. Day in 1876, this remarkable Victorian angling book by W. H. Aldam is among the most distinctive and collectible works devoted to the art of fly fishing. Written in an intentionally archaic style inspired by an early manuscript on artificial fly making, the volume combines historical fishing lore with practical instruction on the selection of materials and the intricate techniques used to imitate natural insects. Its most celebrated feature is the inclusion of actual specimens of feathers, silks, and other fly-tying materials mounted within the book, offering readers a tangible connection to the craftsmanship of nineteenth-century anglers. Lavishly produced with chromolithographic illustrations and decorative typography, the work reflects the Victorian fascination with natural history, traditional sporting pursuits, and the preservation of specialized knowledge. Today, surviving copies are particularly prized by collectors of antiquarian angling literature, especially when their original mounted specimens remain intact.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan\u003eW. H. Aldam\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan\u003e was a nineteenth-century English angling enthusiast, editor, and important figure in the preservation of traditional fly-fishing techniques. A founding member of the Derwent Fishing Club in 1838, Aldam was closely associated with the rich angling traditions of Derbyshire and developed a particular interest in the history and craftsmanship of artificial fly making. He is best remembered for his 1876 publication \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan\u003eA Quaint Treatise on Flees, and the Art a Artyfichall Flee Making\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan\u003e, which he edited from an unpublished eighteenth-century manuscript, preserving its original spelling and language while supplementing the text with explanatory notes, illustrations, and actual examples of fishing flies and their materials. Although long attributed simply to an anonymous old fisherman, the manuscript's original author was identified as Robert Whitehead when it resurfaced at auction in 1999. Aldam's dedication to preserving this early work produced one of the most beautifully executed and historically significant volumes in Victorian angling literature, valued today for both its exceptional craftsmanship and its contribution to the history of fly fishing.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eDescription \u003c\/strong\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eGreen pebbled leather with black blind stamping and gilt illustration with banner on upper board and spine. Beautiful pastedown illustration frontispiece and \u003cspan\u003especimens of feathers, silks, and other fly-tying materials mounted within the book. Red boarders to each page. Fine condition. \u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Moons Rare Books","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":57719841816742,"sku":null,"price":2500.0,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"url":"https:\/\/moons-rare-books.myshopify.com\/products\/a-quaint-treatise-on-flees-and-the-art-a-artyfichall-flee-making","provider":"Moons Rare Books","version":"1.0","type":"link"}