THE RULES AND REGULATIONS FOR THE ANCIENT GAME OF BEAVER

Imprinted at the Sign of the Zits by Three Men and a Boy, 1923. Hardcover. Presumed to be the first and only edition. 12mo (16 cm): 8 unnumbered pages, with a title page ornament and decorative head-pieces and tail-pieces. Text in English. Original brown paper-covered boards, with a printed paper title label on the front panel. A few pencil notations to the scoring pages, with some wear to the corners and tips; else very good. Scarce, OCLC locates one copy of this book at the University of Alberta in Canada.

Beaver is described as “a gentleman’s pastime” of ancient origin and proven by the phrase to “win by a hair”. According to the text, the game is played by two people standing at opposite corners for any length of time. They win specific points by being the first to spot various types of facial hair ranging from the Gillette Once-Over (two points) to the Royal Beaver (an earlier note in the text reports that King George has the only Hundred Point Beaver). A July 1922 cartoon in “Punch” ascribed the invention of the game to students at Oxford University. Very good. Item #80026

Price: $200.00