D. Appleton & Company, New York, 1857, hardback, xv+509 pp, 650 grams, red cloth, gilt lettering and design, 4 original illustrations -see photos 4,8 -. Condition: fair, the binding rubbed and frayed at the spine ends (see photo 2).

Agnel, H. R.: The book of chess: containing the rudiments of the game, and elementary analyses of the most popular openings. Exemplified in games actually played by the greatest masters; including Staunton's Analysis of the king's and queen's gambits, numerous positions and problems on diagrams, also by Howard Staunton.

Hyacynth R. Agnel was born on Nov. 25, 1799 in New York and educated in France. He spent the first 20 years or so of his life as a mercenary and the latter part as a Professor of Languages at West Point where he taught French. He died on Feb. 10, 1871 and is buried at West Point. Agnel was a chess problemist who contributed to the 1 American Chess Congress and was on the Committee on the Chess Code (along with Paul Morphy).