Seven Pillars of Wisdom. a triumph. T. E. Lawrence. [First Numbered Limited Trade Edition – With the Original Issued Dust Jacket and Carboard Cover – Publisher’s Quarter Pigskin Binding]

London: Jonathan Cape. 1935. First Numbered Limited Trade Edition. Publisher’s original quarter pigskin binding, with gilt titles to the spine and gilt crossed scimitar motif to front cloth board reading 'The sword also means clean-ness + death'. Original patterned endpapers. Page top edges gilt, others untrimmed. With the original issued dust jacket, with closed tears and some loss to the edges, and what looks like the original posted carboard protective covers (in poor condition with splits to the cardboard). In very well protected good condition. With 54 plates, 4 of which are full colour, 1 double page MS text, 1 page of the Oxford text, 1 page of Subscribers text and four folding maps. Complete with appendices and index. First published edition, limited to 750 copies, of which this is no. 725. 'Seven Pillars of Wisdom: A Triumph' is the autobiographical account of the experiences of T.E. Lawrence ('Lawrence of Arabia') while serving as a liaison officer with rebel forces during the Arab Revolt against the Ottoman Turks of 1916 to 1918. Lawrence didn't believe the text would be of interest to the public in general and first only allowed limited publications for friends (in 1922) and subscribers (in 1926). The author vowed "No further issue of the Seven Pillars will be made in my lifetime" when he faced bankruptcy following the privately printed edition of 1926. This first trade issue therefore followed in 1935, within weeks of Lawrence's tragic motorcycle accident. Lawrence was very involved in the production of the Seven Pillars. To be able to finance the project he authorised Jonathan Cape to publish a heavily abridged and simplified version called "Revolt in the Desert" in 1927. A handsome copy of this noted work, by Churchill called "one of the greatest books ever written in the English language". Pagination: 672pp. With 54 full page plates, of which 4 coloured, 3 facsimile manuscripts and 4 folding maps. Provenance: no inscriptions or bookplates. Approximately 10 ¼ inches (26cm) tall. Condition Report Externally Spine – very good condition – gilt titles, minor marks and scratches. Joints – very good condition – sound, gently rubbed and worn. Corners – very good condition – gently bumped and worn. Boards – very good condition – brown cloth boards with double scimitars to the front board in gilt, unvenely faded. Page edges – good condition – top edge darkened, other edges untrimmed. Dust jacket – good condition – tanned and foxed, with closed tears and minor loss. Binding – very good condition – attractive. See above and photos. Internally Hinges – very good condition – sound. Paste downs – very good condition – patterned paper. End papers – very good condition – patterned paper. Title – very good condition – gently tanned. Pages – very good condition – browning to the edges, gently tanned throughout, minor marks to a few pages. See photos.…