The New Army.

First US copyright edition of Kipling's series of articles written after visiting army training camps during the First World War. The publisher's archives note that 50 copies of each pamphlet were printed. Complete sets in this condition are rare. In his after-dinner speech at the Kipling Society annual lunch in May 1999, David Alan Richards noted that Kipling's "London literary agent A. P. Watt and his New York publisher Frank N. Doubleday made extensive use of limited printings. to establish copyright in each country". Richards, in his bibliography, notes that it was reported that "most of the few copies printed" of this title "were mailed to newspapers and destroyed, being separated into leaves for the convenience of linotype operators". The present pamphlets represent the true first editions and provide slightly edited versions (removing colloquialisms for an American audience) of articles simultaneously published within The Daily Telegraph on 7, 10, 14, 19, 21, and 24 December 1914. The sub-titles of the pamphlets comprise: "The Men at Work", "The Quality of the Machine", "Guns and Supply", "Canadians in Camp", "Indian Troops", "A Territorial Battalion, and a Conclusion". Martindell 137; Livingston 390; Stewart 382; Grolier 452; Ballard CLXXI; Ashley Vol. III p. 36-7; Richards A275. 6 vols, octavo. Original pale yellow wrappers, lettered on front covers in light green. Housed in a custom red cloth chemise and red morocco-backed slipcase. Occasional light dust-soiling to wrappers, minor indentation to front cover of volume 2, else near-fine and crisp copies.…