The Book of Italy

The very scarce first U.S. edition of this First World War compilation of Italian and British artists, writers and musicians in support of the war effort. Very scarce first U.S. edition. In the publisher's original cloth binding. Illustrated with six colour plates, including the frontispiece, thirty-three black-and-white plates, and illustrated endpapers. Collated, complete. Undated, dated from copies held by the Hathi Trust Digital Library and British Library. A collaboration of various writers, artists and musicians, under the editorship of Raffaello Piccoli, an Italian writer, poet, translator and, following his move to England in 1912, a professor at the University of Cambridge. This work was compiled to raise support for the Italian war effort and to promote British and Italian relations in the First World War. Featuring contributions from G. K. Chesterton, D. H. Lawrence and Grazia Deledda and music from Sir Charles V. Stanford, Pietro Reggio, and more. In the publisher's original cloth binding. Externally, generally smart with reasonable loss of cloth to the spine head, tail and tips and the beginnings of cracking to the front joint, leaving the hinges delicate. Scattered marking, including a tide mark to the front board. Internally, generally firmly bound. A small crease to the fore edge, extending from the plate facing page 150 through to page 152. Reasonably bright and clean with occasional spotting, heavier to the first and last few pages. Good.…