The Complete Angler – Walton & Cotton – 1775 | Illustrated Fish and Fishermen

Charles Cotton and Izaak Walton’s The Complete Angler was an important and extremely popular game and hunting book from 1653. Walton sought to celebrate the everyday fisherman and hunter, providing tips, tricks, and first-hand observations on fishing, and hunting through the lens of a conversation between two fictional anglers.

This 1775 edition features 16 full-page engravings plus other smaller, in-text figures of fish.

Bibliographic Details

• Title: The Complete Angler, or, The Contemplative Man’s Recreation
• Author(s): Izaak Walton; Charles Cotton
• Illustrator(s):
• Contributor(s):
• Publisher: London: Printed for John and Francis Rivington
• Edition: Third Edition, 1775
• Format: (12mo), single volume
• Binding: Leather; restored spine
• Size:  7.25in x 4.75in (18.4 cm x 12 cm)
• Collation: 2 parts in 1
  • Vol 1: lxxviii, 303, [1];
  • Vol 2: xlviii, x, 128, [8]
• Illustrations: 16 plates + in-text illustrations of fish
• Contents Include:
  • Dialogue between Piscator and Venator
  • Cotton’s Supplement
  • Treatises on Fishing Methods and Equipment
  • Descriptions of British Freshwater Fish

Condition:

Very Good. Bound in leather with a professionally restored spine, retaining structural integrity. The text block is clean and complete. All 16 plates and in-text fish engravings remain sharp and unmarked, with minimal signs of wear. Hinges are secure, and internal pages show only light, age toning.

Why Collect This?

• Sought after, early edition
• Retains all full-page and in-text illustrations

Item Number: #29043