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Rare Close Of The Battle Boxing Print Cribb Molineaux Antique 1811 Cruikshank
Rare Close Of The Battle Boxing Print Cribb Molineaux Antique 1811 Cruikshank
Rare Close Of The Battle Boxing Print Cribb Molineaux Antique 1811 Cruikshank
Rare Close Of The Battle Boxing Print Cribb Molineaux Antique 1811 Cruikshank
Rare Close Of The Battle Boxing Print Cribb Molineaux Antique 1811 Cruikshank
Rare Close Of The Battle Boxing Print Cribb Molineaux Antique 1811 Cruikshank
Rare Close Of The Battle Boxing Print Cribb Molineaux Antique 1811 Cruikshank
Rare Close Of The Battle Boxing Print Cribb Molineaux Antique 1811 Cruikshank
Rare Close Of The Battle Boxing Print Cribb Molineaux Antique 1811 Cruikshank
Rare Close Of The Battle Boxing Print Cribb Molineaux Antique 1811 Cruikshank
Rare Close Of The Battle Boxing Print Cribb Molineaux Antique 1811 Cruikshank

Rare Close Of The Battle Boxing Print Cribb Molineaux Antique 1811 Cruikshank

$ 131.47

Availability: 100 in stock

Description

You're bidding on "The Close Of Battle or the Champion Triumphant", a hand-colored engraved print published 1811 by Walker & Knight, London. Artist not indicated but the British Sporting Art Trust attributes their copy to legendary British artist and illustrator George Cruikshank. Total size 18 1/2" X 14 1/4", 14" X 9 3/4" within the plate marks.
Print depicts the rematch between "the champion of champions", Tom Cribb and Tom Molineaux. Cribb was a legendary English bare-knuckle boxer - in a career spanning the years 1805-1812, he lost only one match, becoming the English champion in 1810. Molineaux's background is steeped in legend - he may have been a slave in Virginia, and may have either escaped or won his freedom through winning his owner a large sum of money through boxing. He may have boxed in New York, and emigrated to the UK as the self-proclaimed "Champion of America".
Cribb and Molineaux fought a legendary fight in 1810 that went 44 rounds before an exhausted Molinaux conceded. Cribb actually came out of retirement, in much better physical condition, for this rematch on December 11, 1811, and defeated Molineaux after a vicious contest by breaking his jaw. The print depicts the final blow, with a round by round account of the fight in the text at bottom.
Note, print does have issues of condition - mainly, a vertical streak of what is probably light discoloration through the right side of the image. Also a spot of discoloration at Cribb's back foot and another in the text area, as well as in the margin area. SOLD AS IS AS FOUND.
All that said, still nice color and appeal, and a rare and important sporting image, scarce in any condition. Please review photos carefully to make your own determination of overall condition and appeal, and don't hesitate to ask any questions prior to bidding - thanks for looking!