TESTAMENT OF YOUTH: An Autobiographical Study of the Years 1900-1925 (Third impression in a scarce second impression dustwrapper)

Vera Brittain

Verlag: Victor Gollancz, 14 Henrietta Street, Covent Garden, London, 1933

A third impression of the true first edition, published in September 1933 - the book was first published in August 1933, and was an immediate success, and went into six more impressions in 1933. All these impressions were printed on good quality paper, although the first impression used slightly thicker paper than the later impressions (we also have a true first impression without the scarce dustwrapper listed on ABE Books). This third impression differs from the first in being a slightly smaller book and with gilt titles rather than black on the spine. ***Near fine in red cloth-covered boards with gilt titles to the spine. The boards are beautifully clean and unmarked, having been protected by the dustwrapper over the last 90 years. The gilt is still beautifully bright. The binding is square and tight, with no reading lean and no sign of any splitting to the fragile cloth, or to the hinges. There is no creasing to the fragile spine, just slight creasing at the head and tail. Corners sharp. Page block edges clean with just the fore-edge lightly foxed. Internally also near fine, with an ownership name in pencil on the front free endpaper, and a period bookplate 'Anne Powell' on the front pastedown (hidden by the front flap). There are no annotations within the book. Unusually, there is none of the usual offsetting to the endpapers, and virtually no internal foxing. Pages clean. ***Unusually, this copy retains the original dustwrapper, which is a 2nd impression as stated on the front panel - obviously there were still some second impression dustwrappers to hand when the book went into a third impression in September 1933. The dustwrapper is priced at 8/6 net on the spine and is remarkably complete, but has quite a lot of rubbing and wear to the edges (as to be expected, as Gollancz used very thin dustwrappers, which is why so few remain). There is some slight loss at the top and tail of the spine, affecting the titles slightly, and at the corner tips of the foldover flaps. There is also a sharp vertical crease to the spine (indicating the dustwrapper may have been folded into the book at some point in its life). There is also some browning and a few spot marks to the spine. The top edge of the back flap is creased. Despite these faults, the rare dustwrapper is complete and rarely found thus. ***197mm x 140mm. 661 pages including author's acknowledgments and foreword dated May 1933 to the fore, plus 'The War Generation: Vale, VB. 1933' printed poem at the back of the book. ***Contents: Foreword, Part I. Ch I. Forward from Newcastle; II. Provincial Young-Ladyhood; III. Oxford versus War; IV. Learning versus Life; V. Camberwell versus Death. *** Part II. VI. "When the Vision Dies---"; VII. Tawny Island; VIII. Between the Sandhills and the Sea; IX. "This Loneliest Hour". *** Part III: X. Survivors Not Wanted; XI. Piping for Peace; XII. "Another Stranger". ***A very early third impression of the true first edition, published a month after the first impression, in near fine condition with very few faults - and in the very rarely found original and complete dustwrapper. First and early impressions of "Testament of Youth" are very hard to find now, especially in undamaged condition. The bindings of these books are very fragile, and the bulk of the book tends towards the bindings splitting. Finding early printings of this landmark biographical work in a dustwrapper is almost impossible now, and this copy would be of great interest to collectors of the work of Vera Brittain, and of those studying and collecting First World War primary sources. A scarce item. ***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 8908

Bibliografische Details

Titel: TESTAMENT OF YOUTH: An Autobiographical ...
Verlag: Victor Gollancz, 14 Henrietta Street, Covent Garden, London
Erscheinungsdatum: 1933
Einband: Hardcover
Zustand: Near Fine
Zustand des Schutzumschlags: Very Good
Auflage: First Edition