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First impression of the true first edition. With six black and white plates including frontispiece, showing: Queen Elizabeth from the portrait in the National Portrait Gallery. This copy is unusual in retaining a complete and virtually undamaged dustwrapper. ***Very good in tan cloth-covered boards with gilt titles to the spine. The gilt is still lovely and bright, having been protected by the dustwrapper, and the boards are clean and unmarked. No bumps, creases or tears to the cloth apart from slight creasing at the top of the spine. Top edge of page block stained brown by the publisher - clean and unfaded. Bottom edge of text-block untrimmed. Fore-edge of page block slightly foxed. No reading lean to the binding. Spine tight. Internally the book is also very good (would be near fine except for quite a lot of foxing to the pages - please see scans). Unusually, there are no previous ownership inscriptions. No creases or tears. However, as mentioned, a number of pages have some light foxing. There is some slight straining at the gutter of the title page (please see scans). ***In a very good monochrome-illustrated dustwrapper, which has not been price-clipped, retaining the original publisher's printed price of 15s. net. As previously remarked upon, the dustwrapper is complete (which is very unusual as it is thin and fragile). There are some inevitable marks, rubbing and creasing to the edges, and some small nicks and closed tears -but no loss, no serious tears, and no chips. The dustwrapper is also extremely clean - even the spine and back panel. No fading or browning. The very large foldover flaps of the dustwrapper are also uncreased and completely clean. An excellent example. ***230mm x 154mm. 287 pages including a Bibliography and Detailed Index at the back of the book. ***'One of the most curious passages in history is the love-story of Queen Elizabeth and Robert Devereux, Earl of Essex; the Queen well advanced in years and nearing the end of her reign, the Earl young, handsome and impetuous. This is the theme of Mr. Strachey's book, 'a tragic history,' yet a history which concerned not the protagonists only but had its effects also on the whole course of contemporary events. From the Court and London the scene changes to Spain and Ireland, and round Elizabeth and Essex are grouped the figures of the Cecils, the Bacons, Sir Walter Raleigh. The book is a study of the Elizabethan Age at one of its most critical times and in one of its most extraordinary aspects. ***There are six illustrations, two portraits of Queen Elizabeth, and portraits of Essex, Sir Walter Raleigh, Francis Bacon and Robert Cecil.' (Quote taken from the front flap of the dustwrapper) ***A founding member of the Bloomsbury Group and author of "Eminent Victorians", Strachey is best known for establishing a new form of biography in which psychological insight and sympathy are combined with irreverence and wit. His biography "Queen Victoria" (1921) was awarded the James Tait Black Memorial Prize. (Wiki) ***First impression of the true first edition, with all six plates present as called for. Whilst the book itself is relatively common, examples in a complete dustwrapper are extremely hard to find now, especially in such nice collectable condition. ***For all our books, postage is charged at cost, allowing for packaging: any shipping rates indicated on ABE are an average only: we will reduce the P & P charge where appropriate - please contact us for postal rates for heavier books and sets etc.
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