Trotter, J.C. – Boxing

Description

Trotter, J.C. ‘Boxing’ The Oval Series. Revised edition. George Routledge & Sons, Inc., London. Bright red covers. 128-pages. Instructional book with line drawings. c1900-1919 Very good condition.

Boxing, written by James Charles Trotter (J.C. Trotter) and originally published in 1896, is a classic, highly collectible manual of late-Victorian ringcraft. It was issued as part of George Routledge & Sons’ famous “The Oval” Series, a popular run of sports and pastime pocket guides.
This specific “Revised Edition” (released circa 1900–1919) serves as an instructional window into a pivotal era where boxing was evolving from raw bare-knuckle prize fighting into the modern Marquess of Queensberry rules.

Content & Structural Description:
• The Manual: The text spans 128 pages and covers the essential fundamentals of the era, detailing proper guard stances, footwork, hooks, parrying, counter-punching, and strict old-school training/dietary regimens.
• The Illustrations: The book is thoroughly illustrated with 15 instructional line diagrams in the text along with four distinct full-page photo plates.
• The Frontispiece & Dedication: As shown in your second image, the book is dedicated to and features a striking photo frontispiece of B.J. Angle (Bernard John Angle). Angle was one of the most prominent, revered referees and boxing authorities of the Victorian and Edwardian eras. He famously refereed the legendary 1897 Bob Fitzsimmons vs. Peter Maher championship bout in the UK and was a founding pillar of the National Sporting Club.
• Binding & Cover: The book is bound in its iconic bright red cloth boards (or heavy pictorial card on some secondary variants), featuring a black stamped silhouette of a Victorian boxer holding a classic high-guard fighting pose.