Churchill - Lord Randolph Churchill, one-vol edition, 1907, inscribed w/letter

Description: Lord Randolph Churchill, a 1910 presentation copy with three author signatures - the book signed by Winston S. Churchill, accompanied by a signed presentation letter from Churchill to the Mayor of Brighton, and retaining the original, franked envelope, also signed by Churchill Winston S. Churchill London: Macmillan and Company Limited, 1907 First one-volume edition Condition: Very Good Normal 0 false false false EN-CA JA X-NONE This inscribed presentation copy of the 1907 first one-volume unabridged edition of Winston S. Churchill's biography of his father features three Churchill signatures - one in the book, another on the accompanying presentation letter, and a further Churchill signature on the original envelope. Churchill inscribed the book itself in two lines “from | Winston S. Churchill” on the upper front free endpaper recto. The book is in very good condition. The dark red cloth binding is square, clean, and tight, with light shelf wear to extremities and only trivial blemishes to the rear cover. Shelf presentation is quite respectable, the gilt bright, the spine only slightly toned. The contents show offsetting to the endpapers from the pastedown glue. Spotting is moderate, mostly confined to the endpapers, prelims and fore and bottom edges, appreciable only to the half-title, frontispiece, and title page. The top edges retain uniform gilt, only mildly dulled. The accompanying presentation letter is dated “April 5th. 10.” and addressed “Dear Mayor of Brighton”. The letter is hand-written on the first three panels of a single sheet of printed and embossed “Home Office, Whitehall, S.W.” stationery folded vertically to form four panels. The letter thanks the Mayor “on my wife’s behalf and my own for the very kind hospitality which you showed us on our enjoyable and constructive visit to Brighton.” Churchill states “I hope you will accept a copy of my life of my Father, which I am ordering to be sent to you.” Churchill’s valediction “Yours very faithfully” precedes his signature “Winston S. Churchill”. Accompanying the letter is the original envelope, franked “5 AP 10 LONDON” and, in a testament to 1910 delivery efficiency, stamped on the verso “BRIGHTON 6:45 PM AP 5 10”. The envelope flap features the embossed, blue and white, oval seal of “SECRETARY OF STATE HOME DEPARTMENT”. The letter is hand-addressed, below which Churchill signed “Winston S. Churchill”. The letter is folded once horizontally to fit in the envelope for original posting, the envelope itself neatly slit along the top edge. In addition to the surfeit of signatures, other characteristics render this presentation copy worthy of note. Sheets from the first and only printing of this 1907 one-volume edition continued to be bound and sold by the publisher into the 1920s. Hence this is a comparatively early signature in the work. Second is the definitive timing and provenance of the signature, established by the accompanying presentation letter. Third is the letter itself – or, rather, both the signed autograph presentation letter on Churchill’s Home Secretary stationery, and the accompanying Home Secretary envelope. Churchill was 35 years old when he was appointed Home Secretary on 14 February 1910 – less than two months before he signed and presented this book. Home Secretary was only the second of the eleven Cabinet offices Churchill held during his long political life (three of these offices held more than once). Moreover, it was a short tenure; Churchill was appointed First Lord of the Admiralty in October 1911. Lord Randolph Churchill was first published in two volumes in 1906. This first one-volume edition of 1907 is unabridged, printed on thinner paper and bound in a cloth and style closely resembling the first edition. Winston Churchill’s biography of his father focuses on Lord Randolph's career in Parliament after 1880. When he first contemplated writing his father's biography Winston Churchill was an itinerant soldier and war correspondent who had yet to write his first book. By the time Lord Randolph Churchill was published in 1906, the young Winston Churchill already had half a dozen books to his credit and half a decade in Parliament. By 1906 Churchill had already left his father's political party, prevailed in the same political battle that had terminated his father's career, and was just two years from his first Cabinet post. Reference: Cohen A17.4, Woods/ICS A8(b), Langworth p.74 Ref #: 007974 CHURCHILL BOOK COLLECTOR We are Churchill Book Collector, a professional bookseller specializing in books and other published works by and about the great twentieth century statesman and acclaimed writer, Sir Winston Churchill. We offer both a singular inventory and approachable expertise. The integrity of our inventory is backed by our membership in the Antiquarian Booksellers’ Association of America (ABAA), the International League of Antiquarian Booksellers (ILAB), and the Independent Online Booksellers Association (IOBA). Churchill's official biographer, Sir Martin Gilbert, rightly called Churchill's long life "remarkable and versatile". Statesman, soldier, war correspondent, ardent social reformer, combative cold warrior, painter - Churchill was many things, but perhaps above all a master wordsmith. We’re here to help Churchill’s words find your shelves. Our extensive inventory features some of the rarest material offered – including fine first editions and inscribed copies – as well as reading copies and works about Churchill’s life and time. While we specialize in Churchill, our inventory also includes noteworthy first and collectible editions by other authors, ranging from Xenophon to T. E. Lawrence, spanning exploration and empire to twentieth century fiction. We are able to help with anything from finding individual books to assembling full collections, working closely with individual collectors to identify and accommodate their preferences and budget. We are also able to commission preservation cases and fine bindings. Please contact us if you have books to sell. We buy, and in some cases consign, fine and collectible individual items, as well as whole collections.

Price: 9600 USD

Location: San Diego, California

End Time: 2024-08-09T01:36:16.000Z

Shipping Cost: 20 USD