1931 Rare First Edition - The Compleat Angler illustrated by Arthur Rackham

Author: Izaak Walton. Illustrated by Arthur Rackham.
Title: The Compleat Angler or The Contemplative Man's Recreation: Being a Discourse of Rivers, Fishponds, Fish and Fishing, not unworthy the perusal of most Anglers.
Publisher: London, George G. Harrap & Co. Ltd., 1931. First edition illustrated by Arthur RACKHAM. 
Language: Text in English.
Size: 10 x 8 inches.
Pages: 223 pages.
Binding: Attractive and very good binding finely bound in a handsome half dark navy morocco over blue cloth boards, with raised bands, gilt rules, and contrasting red and green morocco spine labels. (hinges fine, overall slightly worn and scuffed - as shown) under a protective removable mylar cover. Top edge gilt. A tasteful presentation, likely a custom binding.
Content: Very good content (bright, tight and clean, light crease to lower corner of 3 pages  - as shown).
Illustrations: Illustrated with twelve (12) superb color plates by Arthur Rackham, all with tissue guards, along with numerous charming black-and-white drawings and ornamental headings and tailpieces. The illustrations are all present and in excellent condition, richly detailed and masterfully expressive, capturing both the whimsy and contemplative beauty of the text.

The book: This 1931 First edition illustrated by Arthur RACKHAM of The Compleat Angler, Izaak Walton's 17th-century classic on the art and philosophy of fishing, is among the most celebrated editions due to the involvement of famed illustrator Arthur Rackham. First published in 1653, Walton’s book is not only a practical guide to angling but a pastoral meditation on nature, friendship, and contentment. This edition uses the 1897 version edited by Richard Le Gallienne, based on the fifth edition of 1676—the last to be revised by Walton himself—retaining the poetic and leisurely rhythm of the original with modernized spelling. Rackham's illustrations, both humorous and lyrical, elevate this edition into a collector’s gem.

The author: Izaak Walton (1593–1683) was an English writer best known for The Compleat Angler, a timeless blend of how-to advice and poetic reflections on the angler's life. Though not a professional fisherman himself, Walton used angling as a lens through which to explore human virtues, nature, and divine creation, making his book one of the most reprinted titles in English literature.

The illustrator: Arthur Rackham (1867–1939) was one of the foremost illustrators of the Golden Age of British book illustration. Renowned for his unique, slightly eerie yet enchanting style, Rackham brought a fantastical and emotional depth to the books he illustrated. His work in The Compleat Angler offers a perfect visual counterpart to Walton’s contemplative prose, blending humor, natural detail, and a timeless sense of wonder.