Odd, Gilbert – Len Harvey. Prince of Boxers

Description

Odd, Gilbert ‘Len Harvey. Prince of Boxers’ 1978 1st edition. Pelham Books, London. 251-pages. Book stamp of longtime South African boxing book collector/historian J. Karel de Vries on the frontispiece. Very good with a very good non-price clipped dust jacket.

Book Description & Physical Specifications:
Published by Pelham Books, London in 1978, this work was written by Gilbert Odd, one of the 20th century’s most respected British boxing authorities and former editor of Boxing News.
• Content: The book stands as the definitive biography of Len Harvey, a true legend of the British ring who achieved the extraordinary feat of fighting in every single weight class from flyweight to heavyweight. Harvey won British titles at middleweight, light-heavyweight, and heavyweight, and fought for the world title. The text includes an intimate foreword written by his widow, Mrs. Florence Harvey.
• Format: Octavo (8vo, approx. 8.75 in. x 5.5 in.), comprising 251 pages.
• Binding: Crimson or dark cloth boards with gilt or silver spine lettering, accompanied by black-and-white photographic plates detailing Harvey’s historic bouts.
• Dust Jacket: Features a striking vintage photograph of Len Harvey in a classic boxing stance, set against a solid bordered backdrop.

Provenance & Value Breakdown:
• The Inscription from Gilbert Odd (+): Gilbert Odd was an exceptionally prolific sportswriter who authored seminal texts like The Fighting Blacksmith and The Woman in the Corner. Author-signed copies of Prince of Boxers occasionally surface on the market, but direct, friendly inscriptions to contemporary industry peers command the highest interest among sports bibliophiles.