Harry Selby - Did he ever write a book?

[rookhawk]

I was conversing with a friend this evening about Harry that led to a question. To Harry Selby ever write a memoire or autobiography?

 

[Hunter-Habib]

No. What a pity.

But he did write several articles, including one on the .458 Winchester Magnum.

 

[Kevin Peacocke]

His daughter lives in Botswana I believe, I would like to chat to her. She gave us permission to name one of our Land Rovers the Harry Selby.

 

[Hunter-Habib]

His daughter lives in Botswana I believe, I would like to chat to her. She gave us permission to name one of our Land Rovers the Harry Selby.

Gail Selby ? The talented lady dropped a bull elephant with a side brain shot by using WDM Bell's 7x57mm John Rigby & Co. Mauser (with Kynoch 173Gr round nosed steel jacketed FMJ solids).

 

[Kouprey]

I was conversing with a friend this evening about Harry that led to a question. To Harry Selby ever write a memoire or autobiography?

Unfortunately, Mr. Selby never wrote a book.
Hunter-Habib is right, he wrote several Articles (for Sports Afield and other magazines).

I heard that Safari Press tried to persuade Harry Selby to write his Memoirs, it never came to be.
But Mr. Selby wrote a very long foreword to the sixtieth anniversary edition of Ruark's "Horn of the Hunter", published by Safari Press - it was available only as limited edition and all books were signed by Harry Selby.
And he also wrote a chapter for Alan Ritchie's book "Ruark remembered".

 

[Kouprey]

Gail Selby ? The talented lady dropped a bull elephant with a side brain shot by using WDM Bell's 7x57mm John Rigby & Co. Mauser (with Kynoch 173Gr round nosed steel jacketed FMJ solids).

Spot on, Hunter-Habib!
Robert Ruark bought two of Karamojo Bell's rifles in the 1950s - a Jeffery .450/.400 Nitro Express and the famous .275 Rigby. Both rifles he gave it to his godson Mark Selby.
Gail Selby's elephant hunt happened 50 years ago... I read the story in an old issue of African Sporting Gazette, written by Selby's friend Joe Coogan.

 

[Tucketed]

@Kouprey thank you, fascinating history

 

[mark-hunter]

Here is one of his articles:

The Changing Face of the African Safari | Sports Afield

Over the course of sixty years, safaris have undergone a radical transformation. Over many years, the word "safari"--that magical word which brings to mind.

sportsafield.com

 

[CoElkHunter]

Here is one of his articles:

The Changing Face of the African Safari | Sports Afield

Over the course of sixty years, safaris have undergone a radical transformation. Over many years, the word "safari"--that magical word which brings to mind.

sportsafield.com

A very detailed and well written article by Mr. Selby.

 

[HuntingGold]

I enjoyed the article, thank you for the link.

 

[Hunting Hitman]

Unfortunately, Mr. Selby never wrote a book.
Hunter-Habib is right, he wrote several Articles (for Sports Afield and other magazines).

I heard that Safari Press tried to persuade Harry Selby to write his Memoirs, it never came to be.
But Mr. Selby wrote a very long foreword to the sixtieth anniversary edition of Ruark's "Horn of the Hunter", published by Safari Press - it was available only as limited edition and all books were signed by Harry Selby.
And he also wrote a chapter for Alan Ritchie's book "Ruark remembered".

I have that book! My signed copy is number 191

HH

 

[Red Leg]

Unfortunately, Mr. Selby never wrote a book.
Hunter-Habib is right, he wrote several Articles (for Sports Afield and other magazines).

I heard that Safari Press tried to persuade Harry Selby to write his Memoirs, it never came to be.
But Mr. Selby wrote a very long foreword to the sixtieth anniversary edition of Ruark's "Horn of the Hunter", published by Safari Press - it was available only as limited edition and all books were signed by Harry Selby.
And he also wrote a chapter for Alan Ritchie's book "Ruark remembered".

One of my prized possessions in the library.

 

[PerH]

Spot on, Hunter-Habib!
Robert Ruark bought two of Karamojo Bell's rifles in the 1950s - a Jeffery .450/.400 Nitro Express and the famous .275 Rigby. Both rifles he gave it to his godson Mark Selby.
Gail Selby's elephant hunt happened 50 years ago... I read the story in an old issue of African Sporting Gazette, written by Selby's friend Joe Coogan.

Sadly
Mark sold both the rifles later ,they are in US . He used them both in his career for a while, but the .400 was not a .416 Rigby which he traded for ,as he told me in a FB message a time before he sadly passed .

 

[Fixfire]

Here is one of his articles:

The Changing Face of the African Safari | Sports Afield

Over the course of sixty years, safaris have undergone a radical transformation. Over many years, the word "safari"--that magical word which brings to mind.

sportsafield.com

Thank you Mark!!

 

[uplander01]

Harry Selby, Fletcher Jamison, and the list could go on and on. If they would have written it all down it would be on my bookshelves with the rest of them. It is a shame all those experiences weren’t documented.

 

[baxterb]

Terry Weiland in View from a Tall Hill quotes Harry as saying he and Joe Coogan were working on a memoir. I do not know if that resulted in the articles that were later published or a more traditional memoir. I wish it was the latter.

I got to know Gail and Harry in 2004 or so, and helped Harry find a bunch of pics stateside that he had lost over the years. We kept in regular contact until he really slowed down toward the end. He was a very generous man with his time, advice, and the stories he shared. He also sent me several mementos in thanks for my assistance. A true gentleman.

 

[GeorgeGibbs505]

I owned the 275 Rigby that Bell/Ruark/Selby owned, amazing rifle. Shot it some, deer hunted with it, then sold it to its current owner. Got info from Gail on her hunt with it, found the original receipt when Bells Wilde rifle gave them to Westley Richards to sell and how much Ruark paid for it and the inscriptions . A piece of hunting history for sure.

 

[baxterb]

I owned the 275 Rigby that Bell/Ruark/Selby owned, amazing rifle. Shot it some, deer hunted with it, then sold it to its current owner. Got info from Gail on her hunt with it, found the original receipt when Bells Wilde rifle gave them to Westley Richards to sell and how much Ruark paid for it and the inscriptions . A piece of hunting history for sure.

That rifle is the entire reason I got to know Gail and Harry. I was trying to track it down, and someone from Holland and Holland of all places gave me Gail's email address to see if they knew where it was. At that time it had not been 'found' again. I do remember mentioning on the other African/reloading website I had seen the receipt for the 275 in Ruark's papers in NC. Was that where you learned where the receipt was?

 

[GeorgeGibbs505]

The receipt is in his papers at the Collage, he left all his stuff to the University. Mark Selby sent the rifle to Holland and Holland and they sold it to a man and his son out in the northeast, a friend years before said his friend owned it, I was amazed I knew someone who who who owned it. The son consigned it with Jacquas , the first time I was in there store it was there in a glass case, looked at it and said it was too much money. When we left, my brother asked if I saw the WDMB engraved on the floor plate, then the wheels started turning. I ended up with it and got all kinds of articles from Ruark on Safari hunting in old magazines, the copy of the receipt. Went to a good home.

 

[Red Leg]

The receipt is in his papers at the Collage, he left all his stuff to the University. Mark Selby sent the rifle to Holland and Holland and they sold it to a man and his son out in the northeast, a friend years before said his friend owned it, I was amazed I knew someone who who who owned it. The son consigned it with Jacquas , the first time I was in there store it was there in a glass case, looked at it and said it was too much money. When we left, my brother asked if I saw the WDMB engraved on the floor plate, then the wheels started turning. I ended up with it and got all kinds of articles from Ruark on Safari hunting in old magazines, the copy of the receipt. Went to a good home.

Not all firearms have souls, but that it is one around which several spend a bit of time. Next time you share a dram or two with them please offer my sincerest regards.