BRADLEY, WILLIAM ARNOLD. 'FLY-FISHING REMINISCENCES (WITH ILLUSTRATIONS) OF MY EARLY YEARS (1908–1916) AT THE BEAVERKILL TROUT CLUB … TOGETHER WITH A FEW PRINTS REMINISCENT OF ATLANTIC SALMON, NATIVE BROOK TROUT, BROWN TROUT, LAKE TROUT AND SMALL MOUTH BLACK BASS IN NEW YORK, MAINE AND NEWFOUNDLAND, 1898 TO 1916'. [PLEASANTVILLE, N. Y.: PRIVATELY PRINTED, 1929]

Folio (12 7/8 x 9 3/4 in.; 327 x 247 mm). Title and text printed in brown on light tan paper, 42 original mounted photographs captioned by hand in ink. Original printed brown wrappers, sewn with heavy thread; very minor wear at spine ends and corners, Buckram-covered clamshell case, spine lettered in brown, printed paper label on upper cover.

Edward Sands Litchfield (armorial bookplate; sold Sotheby's New York, 29 November 2001, lot 24)

Bruns B202; Heller 730; Litchfield 85

Folio (12 7/8 x 9 3/4 in.; 327 x 247 mm). Title and text printed in brown on light tan paper, 42 original mounted photographs captioned by hand in ink. Original printed brown wrappers, sewn with heavy thread; very minor wear at spine ends and corners, Buckram-covered clamshell case, spine lettered in brown, printed paper label on upper cover.
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"A very rare work numbering about 25 copies" (Heller)W. A. Bradley was Secretary-Treasurer of the Beaverkill Trout Club from 1910 to 1929; the club had 43 members at the time of this publication. A brief but detailed section of reminiscences is followed by early photographs of sport along the Beaverkill before World War I, including a shot of author George M. L. La Branche in mid-cast. Each photograph is captioned in a fine hand which Bruns speculates is that of "Lady B.", pictured on p. 19. There are also photographs of trout fishing in Maine and in other points in New York State, and of the author and his friend Charlie Campbell (president of the club 1910–1923) fishing for Atlantic salmon in Newfoundland. Campbell was the friend who first brought Bradley to the Voorhees homestead in 1908, and with Bradley formed the Beaverkill Trout Club. Campbell's motto was "It's better just a little farther on." These recollections were evidently composed in 1927 (for a speech to the club, to judge from the text) and expanded for publication here.