ELIZABETH AND ESSEX: A TRAGIC HISTORY (First edition - beautiful Asprey signed binding)

Lytton Strachey

Verlag: Chatto & Windus, London, 1928

First impression of the true first edition. Six black and white plates including frontispiece, showing: Queen Elizabeth from the portrait in the National Portrait Gallery. This copy in a unique contemporary fine binding by Asprey & Co. Ltd. (a Birmingham fine bindery). ***Near fine in purple half-leather and white woven cloth binding, with five raised bands and gilt titles and decorations to the spine. All edges of the page block in fine gilt. Whilst there is some inevitable fading to the purple colour on the spine, the boards are clean and largely unmarked. There is a small abrasion to the cloth on the back board (please see scans). The heavy binding is perfectly straight and firm with no splitting or cracking. Spine tight. Boards bright and clean. Gilt titles brightInternally the book is also near fine with no inscriptions, annotations or marks. Pages beautifully clean. No creases or tears. Marbled endpapers with the gilt binder's stamp to the lower edge of the front pastedown. A beautiful binding. ***220mm x 140mm. 288 pages including Bibliography and Index at the back of the book. ***'One of the most curious passages in history is the love-story of Queen Elizabeth and Robert Devereux, Earl of Essex; the Queen well advanced in years and nearing the end of her reign, the Earl young, handsome and impetuous. This is the theme of Mr. Strachey's book, 'a tragic history,' yet a history which concerned not the protagonists only but had its effects also on the whole course of contemporary events. From the Court and London the scene changes to Spain and Ireland, and round Elizabeth and Essex are grouped the figures of the Cecils, the Bacons, Sir Walter Raleigh. The book is a study of the Elizabethan Age at one of its most critical times and in one of its most extraordinary aspects. ***There are six illustrations, two portraits of Queen Elizabeth, and portraits of Essex, Sir Walter Raleigh, Francis Bacon and Robert Cecil.' (Quote taken from the dustwrapper of another example of the book) ***A founding member of the Bloomsbury Group and author of "Eminent Victorians", Strachey is best known for establishing a new form of biography in which psychological insight and sympathy are combined with irreverence and wit. His biography "Queen Victoria" (1921) was awarded the James Tait Black Memorial Prize. ***A first impression of the true first edition, with all six plates present as called for. This copy is in a unique signed fine binding and, as such, is a superior copy for the collector. ***For all our books, postage is charged at cost, allowing for packaging: any shipping rates indicated on ABE are an average only: we will reduce the P & P charge where appropriate - please contact us for postal rates for heavier books and sets etc. Bestandsnummer des Verkäufers 8697

Bibliografische Details

Titel: ELIZABETH AND ESSEX: A TRAGIC HISTORY (First...
Verlag: Chatto & Windus, London
Erscheinungsdatum: 1928
Einband: Hardcover
Zustand: Near Fine
Zustand des Schutzumschlags: No Jacket
Auflage: First Edition