Rarest book?

[Dust Jacket Collector]

I’ve had 3 deliveries from Australia in recent weeks totalling over £1200 and there haven’t been any additional charges applied.

[Black Maria]

17 hours ago, Dust Jacket Collector said:

 

By the way I put the other Official History inscribed by Edmonds to Churchill - Military Ops : Italy, on the Signed Books & their inscriptions page but it passed by unnoticed. Pity, I thought it rather important.

It's a shame there isn't a 'like' button we can use , i know it can be demoralising when you've gone to the trouble of posting something and it appears that

nobody is interested , makes you think why bother in the future  . 

[Guest]

12 minutes ago, Black Maria said:

It's a shame there isn't a 'like' button we can use , i know it can be demoralising when you've gone to the trouble of posting something and it appears that

nobody is interested , makes you think why bother in the future  . 

 

   Please Sir, I noticed.  A good thing to have.  The 1949 Italy publication -was it designed to be the last in the series ever published or was the series ended??   Edmonds lived to 1956 but  seems to have had no involvement-directly- in the Second World War official military histories., though I expect his advice was sought. An odd thought is that the first volume of the latter series to deal with Italy - Mediterranean and Middle East, Volume I, edited by Playfair-came out in 1954 and,as we know, the officials take a long time to put together. Is it possible that the very late publication of Italy from one war might administratively be running into the  preparation of "officials" from the next war?- it would be ironic if "officials" from the Great War were being published after ones from the Second World War started coming out-an administrative car crash. We know there are drafts and bits of drafts stuck away in CAB 45 at Kew- But when was the administrative decision to stop  "Military Operations" actually taken?

[Dust Jacket Collector]

Martin H. is the expert on Official Histories so hopefully he might enlighten us. My understanding, from reading Edmonds autobiography, is that he was effectively pushed out, not being considered up to the job anymore. The Italy volume certainly received considerable criticism. Edmonds had planned 2 Occupation volumes - one for Germany & one for Turkey. The former became ‘The Occupation of the Rhineland’ but only draft chapters were produced for the Turkey volume, which were eventually published N & M in 2010 as ‘The Occupation of Constantinople’. There was also a planned volume 2 of Military Ops. East Africa of which draft chapters exist but it’s never seen the light of day. I’m not aware of anything else being planned. Sales of these books fell through the floor quite early on so there’d have been little commercial pressure to produce any more.

[other ranker]

On 19/09/2020 at 10:12, Black Maria said:

It's a shame there isn't a 'like' button we can use , i know it can be demoralising when you've gone to the trouble of posting something and it appears that

nobody is interested , makes you think why bother in the future  . 

I am sorry I haven't been on lately. Just moved house and job. I keep looking in. Keep up the posts. Great to see GUEST back on song.

[Black Maria]

On 19/09/2020 at 18:48, other ranker said:

I am sorry I haven't been on lately. Just moved house and job. I keep looking in. Keep up the posts.

We've missed you , there aren't many of us as it is  . Yes it certainly is , i always enjoy reading his posts .

[charlie2]

Not sure if my latest acquisition, Air Publication 125 - a Short History of the RAF, qualifies as a rare book but the advert for the OH  volumes brought on a smile - no squaddie discount.

 

 

[Guest]

Looks reasonably  uncommon- Kings College,London and BL on JISC/COPAC.  I note the book went through (at least) 3 editions- the last being a reprint  done by the Imperial War Museum. Another one of the 1929 edition still on ABE.  More substantial than I thought : The one on ABE has the description:

Air Ministry, 1929. Hardcover. Condition: Very Good. Presumed 1st Edition. Thick card covers with cloth spine, stain to front and rear covers but internally unaffected, edges lightly bumped but otherwise in Very Good condition. Presumed First edition, pp iv, 489, index. An early history of the Royal Air Force (it only formed 11 years prior to this publication). Seller Inventory # 004817

 

    Might I ask if it has any restrictions on it (eg For Official use Only)  or price-to indicate that it was for sale to Joe Public?  My best guess is that it was provided for officers in training.  Another question might answer it-any printers code at beginning or end which might establish the print run???

 

(I ask as a matter of pure antiquarianism-   The lovely poet of the South West (My part of the world) , Charles Causley did a splendid navy poem "Chief Petty Officer" -describing an elderly Chief at the Royal Naval Barracks,Devonport (which could well describe my grandfather)-It starts with the words " He is older than the naval side of British history..."    OK, nondescript words, which I think may be allusion (therefore, there to be spotted) to a book of the same name published in 1932 and giving a very right-wing,traditional view of the  Grey Funnel Line- doughty deeds of derring do,etc. I speculate because WHAT was provided for squaddies to read during training-that is, indoctrinate, is a bit of a mystery area- ""Naval Side of British History", I suspect was a book inflicted on Causley when he was called up during WW2) 

 

Edited 23 September , 2020 by Guest

[charlie2]

Might I ask if it has any restrictions on it (eg For Official use Only)  or price-to indicate that it was for sale to Joe Public?  My best guess is that it was provided for officers in training.  Another question might answer it-any printers code at beginning or end which might establish the print run???

It is only marked „for official use“ and is without any indication of a price. As it was intended to be an introduction to The War in the Air it would not make any sense for it to be restricted as the information was already in the public domain.

The printers code - (32092) Wt. 1676/73 1500 10/29 Harrow G.1.

 

Charlie

[Guest]

Thanks Charlie- a print run of 1500.  And a book of nearly 500 pages as an "introduction".  It looks like the quid pro quo of "no discount" for the full officials  meant this book really was for Cranwell students in particular. It would be good to find an early ownership signature on a cover or an endpaper of another copy just to test out who the "customers" were

[Dust Jacket Collector]

Thanks Charlie- a print run of 1500.  And a book of nearly 500 pages as an "introduction".  It looks like the quid pro quo of "no discount" for the full officials  meant this book really was for Cranwell students in particular. It would be good to find an early ownership signature on a cover or an endpaper of another copy just to test out who the "customers" were

I have the final issue from 1936. Still marked ‘for official use only’ but the print run has risen to 3500. The only indication of previous ownership is an armorial bookplate for some posh chap!

[Guest]

1 hour ago, Dust Jacket Collector said:

The only indication of previous ownership is an armorial bookplate for some posh chap!

 

  Do tell - I believe even the RAF has let in the occasional posh chap.  The increased  print run of 1936 is but a very minor indication that the RAF was gearing up from that time. Just after the Defence Requirements Committee stuff and the real foundation of the matters that helped Britain, Spitfire,Hurricane, increased RAFVR,etc. A bibliographical trifle.

[The Scorer]

I did smile at the thought of Volume One  of "The War in the Air" being written by Sir Walter Raleigh ... quite an achievement, as he'd have been getting on a bit by then!

 

(Sorry, I'll get my coat .... !)

[Guest]

15 minutes ago, The Scorer said:

I did smile at the thought of Volume One  of "The War in the Air" being written by Sir Walter Raleigh ... quite an achievement, as he'd have been getting on a bit by then!

 

(Sorry, I'll get my coat .... !)

 

    Ah, the curse of similar names- an unending and morbid parlour game.    One should also note that  Herbert Kitchener was killed serving with the Royal Engineers in October 1916 and,similarly, Douglas Haig died as an officer with the Royal Naval Air Service in 1917. Also, that the Kaiser died serving with the 13th Middlesex in 1917.

   My favourite-and an excellent "true or false" question as an ice breaker at a pub quiz- is "True or false: Himmler was born in Newcastle upon Tyne?" (true-but not THAT one)

[The Scorer]

Thanks!

[Resurgam13]

A copy of "Five Years in the Royal Flying Corps" with Walter Raleigh's bookplate, subsequently acquired by H. A. Jones who completed "The War in the Air" series when Raleigh died of typhoid in 1922.

[Guest]

Very nice. Did Jones perhaps annotate the book? I note he signed his name in red ink- always the preserve of the annotator and corrector rather than just plain handwriter.

[Dust Jacket Collector]

2 hours ago, Resurgam13 said:

A copy of "Five Years in the Royal Flying Corps" with Walter Raleigh's bookplate, subsequently acquired by H. A. Jones who completed "The War in the Air" series when Raleigh died of typhoid in 1922.

 

Fantastic copy. Well done. Hard to imagine 2 more appropriate owners. Nice bookplate of ‘Sir’ Walter’s.

[Resurgam13]

No annotations, unfortunately!

[charlie2]

It took a while but I eventually found and for a very reasonable price, a copy of Der Handelskrieg mit U-Booten Band 5, which completes my collection of the German Naval official History. It isn‘t in pristine condition and is ex-libris but I’m very, very happy with it.

Charlie

 

[Dust Jacket Collector]

I suppose this might qualify as a rarity - a signed copy of Remarque’s All Quiet. Not mine sadly but available now on ABE for the more well-heeled members of the Forum at a trifling £27,700. Don’t all rush at once!

[Guest]

Have they got 2?   I want a "His and hers" Chrissie pres. for someone-if they do it would be ideal.

Seriously, for that sort of money, I would want to  be on top of the publishing history-esp. whether it is the first ed. in English-ie How the UK publication stacks up for date.

 

     Nice DJ..........  don't cry!

 

[Black Maria]

I seem to remember Tom Donovan had a signed copy for sale a few years back ( it was won in a newspaper competition c 1930 ) and he said it was

the only signed copy he had handled . I don't think it was quite that expensive though 

Edited 15 October , 2020 by Black Maria

[Dust Jacket Collector]

Have they got 2?   I want a "His and hers" Chrissie pres. for someone-if they do it would be ideal.

Seriously, for that sort of money, I would want to  be on top of the publishing history-esp. whether it is the first ed. in English-ie How the UK publication stacks up for date.

Nice DJ..........  don't cry!

Fortunately I do have the U.K. 1st in a jacket. There seem to be several available from £1750 up to £7,500. The nicest one is a first US inscribed by Remarque to Basil Rathbone & his wife which seems almost cheap at just under £6000.

(my records tell me I paid £3.25 for mine but it was 35 years ago).

[Guest]

 I thought you might.  But which is the true "First" in English?  American or UK? (or Falkland Islands, North Borneo,etc)  Chummy in the US may have an idea but normally at that price, there is quite a spiel about it being the true first.  Publication dates for both may be needed- a bibliographical trifle again- well,actually not-might save the worry on whether to splash out £75,000 on a dud.