Signed Books & their inscriptions

[Guest]

On 10/18/2016 at 14:47, Dust Jacket Collector said:

I think I paid £8 for it, the dealer not having noticed that it was inscribed. More worrying is the fact that someone in the Dorset County library service didn't consider this book worth keeping & was prepared to let it go for 25p!

 

     And an even more worrying concern is the damage done to books by libraries when they de-accession- large ink-stamps- why are prices always written in felt-tip or biro????  Look at the EM-ED page- perfect until it was chucked out!!

   Worst ever was MOD- Ink stamp saying "DISCARDED" was the exact size of a normal ink-pad. Obviously, some thicko squaddie was detailed how to use it.

[Dust Jacket Collector]

 

     And an even more worrying concern is the damage done to books by libraries when they de-accession- large ink-stamps- why are prices always written in felt-tip or biro????  Look at the EM-ED page- perfect until it was chucked out!!

   Worst ever was MOD- Ink stamp saying "DISCARDED" was the exact size of a normal ink-pad. Obviously, some thicko squaddie was detailed how to use it.

How many hours have I wasted trying to remove library stickers from books. I know it's to stop them being pinched but do they really have to use superglue and have so many of them?

I like your Chapman, Grant. I've got the same work signed by him, mine to an old non-military friend. He had a rather nice, albeit flamboyant signature.

[MikeyH]

Picked up today, 'Tales of Talbot House' by P.B.Clayton (Chatto & Windus 1919)

 

It bears a note 'With the grateful thanks of the innkeeper Phillip Clayton'.

 

A little tired, but still a nice thing to have.

 

Mike.

[Dust Jacket Collector]

1 hour ago, MikeyH said:

Picked up today, 'Tales of Talbot House' by P.B.Clayton (Chatto & Windus 1919)

 

It bears a note 'With the grateful thanks of the innkeeper Phillip Clayton'.

 

A little tired, but still a nice thing to have.

 

Mike.

Nice one, Mike.

I recently picked up a memorial volume to William Gladstone, grandson of the former PM. It was written by his uncle, Viscount Gladstone, who was Home Secretary from 1905-1910. Interestingly, William, a Lt. in the 3rd RWF, was killed at Laventie & this copy is inscribed by The Viscount to Lady Pamela Glenconner, mother of the poet Edward Wyndham Tennant. His best known poem was 'Home thoughts from Laventie'.

[Guest]

32 minutes ago, Dust Jacket Collector said:

Nice one, Mike.

I recently picked up a memorial volume to William Gladstone, grandson of the former PM. It was written by his uncle, Viscount Gladstone, who was Home Secretary from 1905-1910. Interestingly, William, a Lt. in the 3rd RWF, was killed at Laventie & this copy is inscribed by The Viscount to Lady Pamela Glenconner, mother of the poet Edward Wyndham Tennant. His best known poem was 'Home thoughts from Laventie'.

 

       Is this from the Stephen Tennant stuff that went through Bloomsbury about 15 years back?

       There ought to be more Gladstone stuff around hither and thither,as the old Scottish home at Fasque was sold off 3-4 years ago and had gazillions of miscellaneous books.

[MikeyH]

1 hour ago, Dust Jacket Collector said:

Nice one, Mike.

I recently picked up a memorial volume to William Gladstone, grandson of the former PM. It was written by his uncle, Viscount Gladstone, who was Home Secretary from 1905-1910. Interestingly, William, a Lt. in the 3rd RWF, was killed at Laventie & this copy is inscribed by The Viscount to Lady Pamela Glenconner, mother of the poet Edward Wyndham Tennant. His best known poem was 'Home thoughts from Laventie'.

 

D.J.C.

From the same vendor I also got a 'reading' copy (no dust jacket and some marks to boards) of:-  'The Battle Book of Ypres', compiled by Beatrix Bryce, published by John Murray in 1927, this being a second edition also dated that year.  This seems to be a nicely detailed summary of all the engagements that took place on The Salient.  Which have to admit I was not previously aware of, is this known as a scarce book?

 

Mike.

[David Filsell]

Not particularly scarce I would have said. It was popular and reprinted twice in a year at least. But a very useful work of reference to have.

[Dust Jacket Collector]

 

       Is this from the Stephen Tennant stuff that went through Bloomsbury about 15 years back?

       There ought to be more Gladstone stuff around hither and thither,as the old Scottish home at Fasque was sold off 3-4 years ago and had gazillions of miscellaneous books.

No bookplate or other signature in the book, so I can't say where it originally came from. Unusually, for a memorial volume, it must have sold quite well as it was reprinted at least once in the same year. Apparently, Lt. Gladstone was the last soldier whose body was officially repatriated (apart from the unknown one, of course).

[MikeyH]

2 hours ago, David Filsell said:

Not particularly scarce I would have said. It was popular and reprinted twice in a year at least. But a very useful work of reference to have.

 

Thanks David,

As you say a very useful work to have.

Mike.

[Black Maria]

13 hours ago, MikeyH said:

 

D.J.C.

From the same vendor I also got a 'reading' copy (no dust jacket and some marks to boards) of:-  'The Battle Book of Ypres', compiled by Beatrix Bryce, published by John Murray in 1927, this being a second edition also dated that year.  This seems to be a nicely detailed summary of all the engagements that took place on The Salient.  Which have to admit I was not previously aware of, is this known as a scarce book?

 

Mike.

I believe Tom Donovan reprinted it in 1987 , I do like the original dust jacket .

[paulgranger]

I've got a copy of the '87 reprint, and I believe a further reprint is due later this year.

[hmsk212]

Hi

 

I have this signature inside The Flying Elephants by Chaz Bowyer. Mick Billing served with Chaz Bowyer in the RAF and they became lifelong friends. The signature uses Chaz Bowyer's real name of Ray Bowyer

 

Steve

C Bowyer.pdf

[Uncle George]

Sir John Simon seems to be almost forgotten these days, but his was a remarkable career: Home Secretary (twice); Foreign Secretary; Chancellor of the Exchequer; Lord Chancellor; had a political party named after him (well, sort of); in Asquith's cabinet at the start of the Great War, and in Chamberlain's at the start of the Second.

 

Members of this Forum will know that he resigned from the Cabinet in 1916 in protest at the introduction of conscription, and served in the RFC on Trenchard's staff.

 

I recently acquired a copy of his memoir 'Retrospect' (1952). It was signed by the author - rather disappointingly it was signed not with his  name but 'from the Author'. But to counter this disappointment it came with three letters from Simon: two to 'Mr Maxwell-Davies' and one to 'Mrs Maxwell-Davies'. 

 

I've attached the letter to Mrs M-D, mainly because it mentions C.B. Fry. (The contents of all three letters are rather prosaic and of no real interest.)

 

Edited 22 June , 2017 by Uncle George

[nigelcave]

A prized possession is Sandilands' history of the 23rd Division, autographed to General Cadorna by the Prince of Wales, along with correspondence relating to same. Picked it up for €5 off a market stall in Domodossola a few years ago when I was living in that part of Italy. An added bonus for my stay in these parts was being able to walk chunks of the Cadorna Line, a defensive system dug to the north of Lake Maggiore. I was never particularly convinced that an invasion through Switzerland was very likely and the effort required to develop the system seems entirely disproportionate; but i suspect it had bonus long term effects for the local mountainous infrastructure.

[Dave G]

One of my better examples found in a first edition copy of J.F.C. Fuller's Tanks in the Great War.

 

 

[Dave G]

And another. This one found in a first edition of Edmund Blunden's Undertones of War. An unpublished poem perhaps?

 

 

[Dust Jacket Collector]

On 27/06/2017 at 01:19, Dave G said:

And another. This one found in a first edition of Edmund Blunden's Undertones of War. An unpublished poem perhaps?

 

Very nice , Dave. Coincidentally I've just bought another work of Blunden's, 'De Bello Germanico' a fragment of trench history, published in a limited edition by his brother, G.A.Blunden in 1930. The title refers, I believe, to Blunden's habit of carrying around a copy of Caesar's 'De Bello Gallico' whilst in the trenches.

It's inscribed by him to Nellie Myatt, the married name of Nellie Kirkham, who was apparently an authority on Derbyshire Lead Miners. It also has a rather amusing inscription. I think it may have been Blunden's proof copy as there are a number of typographical corrections in his hand.

 

[Dave G]

Very nice! Are you back to fighting form after your unfortunate heart issues? I check your site several times a week for new additions.

 

All the best,

 

Dave Golemon

Austin, Texas

[Dust Jacket Collector]

12 minutes ago, Dave G said:

Very nice! Are you back to fighting form after your unfortunate heart issues? I check your site several times a week for new additions.

 

All the best,

 

Dave Golemon

Austin, Texas

Not 100% yet but feeling a lot better each week, thanks. Will try to keep the images coming!

[barkalotloudly]

Regarding signed books there is a copy of "Other Ranks" available for a mere £3000  oh and plus postage of £2.85 but i am sure you could negotiate post free lol

[other ranker]

I found this book,'The Big Fight (Gallipoli To The Somme)', by Captain David Fallon, M.C. from the Book Barn in Somerset on line would you believe. I have trawled the shelves of their warehouse physically twice before and never found a thing worth having! Delighted.

 

 

[Dust Jacket Collector]

Brilliant buy, OR. I looked in there last year and couldn't find a solitary thing worth buying.

[Dust Jacket Collector]

A rather nice buy this week from good old ABE - Nichols' 'History of the 18th Division in the Great War'. The 18th had only two Commanders during the War, Major Generals Ivor Maxse & Richard Lee. This is Lee's copy with his signature. He's made a few notes in the book, one a quote from the Official History & another someone's later occupation. The most interesting is this - " I arrived at 5th Army HQ on the evening of the 29th (March 1918) and was astounded to find General Gough had left for home and Rawlinson was at dinner with both staffs. That evening he ordered me to take charge of the line from Hangard (wood) to Wanfusie? Abancourt? & to make myself thoroughly acquainted with it. I should have the 9th Australian Brigade at once and other troops as he could collect. I remained there till the 13th April". Also included are letters from Maxse, enclosing a proof of a forward he'd written for a Memorial volume to Capt. William Howard Lister of the 18th Div. & a letter from Field Marshal Birdwood.

[Derek Black]

That's  a cracking piece of history you've acquired.

 

Derek.

[Black Maria]

I just happened to spot this copy of  ' Sagittarius Rising ' by Cecil Lewis for sale on e-bay recently . It was described as " possibly inscribed by author".

Having been lucky enough to find a signed letter by Cecil Lewis in one of his books a few years ago I knew it was his writing so bought the book and

when I looked through it I also found a letter signed from him tucked away inside . All in all I think it was probably worth the £9.99 plus p&p