For your consideration is a Rare Signed First Edition "Carl Rungius, Big Game Painter: Fifty Years with Brush and Rifle" by William J. Schaldach, 1945, Limited Edition #34, The Countryman Press publisher. A celebrated biographical and artistic survey of Carl Rungius, widely considered North America's first career wildlife artist. It combines biographical detail with a vast collection of Rungius's art, emphasizing his dual identity as both a master painter and an avid sportsman. It chronicles his expeditions to Wyoming, Alaska, and the Canadian Rockies, where he studied and hunted big game to inform his anatomically precise paintings. Schaldach's narrative highlights Rungius's prowess with both "brush and rifle," noting that early accounts often focused as much on his shooting skills as his artistic talent. 117 pages featuring full-page color plates, black-and-white in-text illustrations, and photographs. William Joseph Schaldach (1896–1982) was a prominent American artist, author, and outdoorsman celebrated for his masterful depictions of fish, game birds, and hunting scenes. Often referred to as an "artist-angler," his work is a cornerstone of 20th-century American sporting art. The rust coloured cloth bound silver gilt illustrated hardcover is in nicely preserved condition, slight fading and scuffing observed on covers and spine. Intact deckled top and fore edge pages are well preserved, age tanning noted. Measures 9.75"W x 12.5"L x .75"D, weight is 2lb, 6oz.