Price,Edmund – The science of Self Defence, A Treatise On Sparring and Wrestling

Description

Price, Edmund ‘The science of Self Defence. A Treatise on Sparring and Wrestling’ 1867 1st ed. 130-pages. Colorful, but very worn front cover of two men sparring. Covers and hinges are loose, pages are all there and relatively intact. Poor condition overall. But rare title.

“The Science of Self Defence: A Treatise on Sparring and Wrestling” by Edmund E. Price, published in 1867, is a legendary and highly sought-after cornerstone of American martial arts and boxing literature. As one of the earliest published American manuals detailing unarmed combat, it is deeply valued by sports historians for bridging the gap between bare-knuckle prize fighting, wrestling, and structured physical fitness.

Content & Narrative Overview:
Edmund Price, a well-known 19th-century practitioner, wrote the manual to establish a standardized, practical guide for self-defense based on real-world training rather than outdated theory. The book is split into distinct technical instructions for sparring (bare-knuckle boxing) and wrestling, using text and period drawings to demonstrate stance, footwork, leverage, and striking from the shoulder.
Beyond combat, it outlines a rigorous 19th-century training regimen detailing physical development, diet, and a specialized course for the “reduction of corpulency” (weight loss). Price strongly emphasizes that learning self-defense acts as a tool for health, personal restraint, and mutual protection rather than instigating violence.

Physical & Publication Details of the 1867 First Edition:
• Publisher: Published in New York by the famous pulp and manual publishers Dick & Fitzgerald.
• Format/Size: 12mo/8vo format, standing roughly 18 cm (approx. 7 inches) tall.
• Binding/Cover: Originally issued as a quarter-bound book featuring a green cloth spine (often stamped with gilt lettering) paired with illustrated, pictorial paper-covered hard boards.
• Pagination: Comprises 130 pages of main instructional text, followed by an advertising catalog section for other Dick & Fitzgerald titles at the rear.
• Illustrations: Contains multiple embedded woodcut engravings and drawings illustrating defensive guards, throws, and athletic poses.