Ansell Col Sir Michael (4 results)

Hard back binding in publisher's original shiny racing green paper covered boards, gilt title and author lettering to the spine and to the front cover. 8vo. 8½'' x 5½''. Contains 125 printed pages of text with monochrome illustrations and photographs throughout. Ink message dated 1981 to the front free end paper. Near Fine condition book in Fine condition art work dust wrapper, price clipped. Dust wrapper supplied in archive acetate film protection, it does not adhere to the book or to the dust wrapper. Member of the P.B.F.A. EQUINE & EQUESTRIANISM.

Condition: Very good. First edition. 8vo: x, 125, [6]pp. Green leather, with dust wrapper. Gilt lettering on spine and front cover. Signed with dedication by author on half title page. Signed letter by author. Minor spotting on edges.

Hardback. Condition: Fine. Dust Jacket Condition: Very Good. First Edition. Bound in immaculate green leather with bright, gilt titles to front board and spine, this 1980 First Edition is FINE in VG wrapper (unclipped). Signed and Inscribed by Mike Ansell, July 14th 1980, on FFEP. X/132pp with Foreword by Prince Charles, 28 Photos and illustrations, 14 Chapters, Glossary and Index. Condition all VG plus. Signed by Author(s).

38pp., 8vo. In fair condition, lightly aged and worn. In 'Note Book Made of paper Specially prepared in Japan'. On front cover: 'J. GROSE | British Equestrian Team | Yo-yogi Village | Olympic Diary'. Begins on 23 September with flight from London Airport via Bombay. In Hong Kong he dines with 'Algie (Lady O'Connor)' at Flagstaff House. In the Olympic Village at Yoyogi on 26 September he discusses problems 'in our hut (448)', before inspecting 'the Equestrian Centre (Baji-Koen)'. The main topic is the quarantine exercising area in Karuizawa', which the British, French and Australian teams deem 'most unsatisfactory'. Other topics include: 'the arrival of the French horse plane'; an agreement that 'Bob Armstrong should live at stables'; 'the Cocktail Party for the British athletes at the Embassy'; 'the draw for Dressage & Grand Prix Jumping' ('I was unlucky enough to draw us number 1'); training; the stable manager and his staff 'softened up' with a bottle of whisky; the acquisition of tickets and press passes; various meetings. On 28 September Grose has 'a confrontation with MR NOMURA, Secretary of the JEF [Japanese Equestrian Federation] & their titular head, with the following result: 'Eventually JEF promised to let us know by noon tomorrow whether Australian & British horses could quarantine here & for how many days | It became clear that it was NOT shortage of boxes that bothered them so much as favouring us both at the expense of other nations. In fact, they went back on what we thought were the undertakings made yesterday. However, the Australians took a tough line, promised to inform the Press etc & were seeing the President of the J.O.C. [Japanese Olympic Committee] this evening. Nomura said Mr Du Bois had passed the quarantine site: I said we had always reserved the right to decide when we got here & saw the relative facilities & had been told we could gallop in quarantine etc etc'. The disagreements are not settled, and on 2 October Grose writes: 'Then got urgent message to see Sandy [Sandy Duncan]. The Australians had issued an extremely rude Press release (copy filed) about the quarantine & try areas at K. Also heard the French had complained officially.' He finds the opening ceremony 'a fine spectacle with a vast crowd & v. well organised', but adds that 'Most of us did not find it moving as the various contingents did not know whether to be serious or not. A few marched well, including our women. Some were unconsciously funny, others waved to their friends or waved flags etc. The latter chiefly oriental or non-curtain.' The final entry (14 October) is short and ends mid-sentence. At the rear are three pages recording the sale and purchase of tickets, with names of parties and amounts paid. The final page of the volume carries 'Accounts' from 25 September to 24 October, beginning with '3 Bottles Whisky' (to bribe the stable manager?) and ending with 'Soda Water'. Loosely inserted are two telegrams to Grose in Tokyo from 'Ansell' in London, 6 and 21 October 1964; calling cards of Keiji Nomura and J. G. Hasegawa; four Japanese receipts; a pencil autograph draft of a telegram from Grose regarding a disqualification. A final item is a carbon copy of an autograph letter from Grose to 'Jane', dated from Yoyogi Village, 4 October [1964], which he describes as a 'situation report for Col Ansell, BHS & BSJA', and in which he describes how the team had 'three problems before arrival of horses', followed by 'tedious negotiations' and problems with 'the exercising facilities', which have 'caused quite a stir & you may have read about it in the British Press. They were hopeless. [.]'.