Merchantmen-at-Arms. The British Merchants' Service in the War.

BONE, David W.; BONE, Muirhead (illus.).

Published by London: Chatto & Windus, 1919

About this Item

Limited edition, number 101 of 160 copies bound in full vellum and with a signed etching by Muirhead Bone. This memoir recounts the activities of the Merchant Navy during the First World War and was written by one of its most experienced captains. This volume was a collaboration between David Bone (1874-1959) and his brother Muirhead (1876-1953). Muirhead was an etcher and watercolourist who was appointed as the first official war artist in 1916. "He was among the greatest British draughtsmen, and his images of cities, particularly buildings being built or demolished, display extraordinary technical skill" (ODNB). This limited edition contains a signed etching by Muirhead titled Salvage Men Approaching a Torpedoed Ship. "Written largely between the shipping crisis of 1917 and the surrender of German undersea arms at Harwich on November 20, 1918, this book is an effort to record a seaman's impressions of the trial through which the Merchants' Service has come in the war" (p. xi). David Bone (1874-1959) first joined the Merchant Navy at age 15 in 1889. He served during the Boer War, captained many ships including the 17,000-ton liner Transylvania, and fought in both world wars. He told a reporter in 1943 that he had served in so many convoys, even he could not remember the total. He also was a celebrated writer, releasing his first novel The Brassbounder in 1910. Quarto. Half-tone photographic frontispiece with tissue guard, one drypoint etching by Muirhead Bone with captioned tissue guard, illustrations in text. Original vellum, spine and front cover lettered in gilt, marbled endpapers, top edge gilt, others untrimmed, blue silk bookmarker. Recent ink number to rear free endpaper verso. Spine ends lightly bumped, vellum slightly foxed, rear inner hinge just starting at head, contents bright, a touch of offsetting: a near-fine copy.

Seller Inventory # 177411

Bibliographic Details

• Title: Merchantmen-at-Arms. The British Merchants' Service in the War.
• Publisher: London: Chatto & Windus, 1919
• Edition: 1st Edition
• Signed: Signed by Author(s)