THE WAR SPEECHES
-First English Edition Set
1941-1946
First English Edition Set
Cassell and Co. [London]
Biblio: (Cohen A142-A227) (Woods A66- A114)
8vo
Hardcover (with Dust Jackets) [Blue cloth]
Item Number: 211116
$2,500.00
Collector's Guide
The War Speeches of Winston Churchill were first preserved in seven individual speech compilation volumes, collected and published yearly in the U.K. and in the U.S., beginning in 1941, under the following titles: Into Battle (1938-1940 speeches; published in the U.S. as Blood, Sweat and Tears), The Unrelenting Struggle (1940-1941), The End of the Beginning (1942), Onwards to Victory (1943), The Dawn of Liberation (1944), Victory (1945), and Secret Session Speeches (Various Dates). Unlike the English editions, which were all published by one publisher (Cassell), the American series was initiated by G.P. Putnam with Blood, Sweat and Tears, then carried on by Little, Brown, up till the final volume, Secret Session Speeches, which was published by Simon and Schuster.
Description
This is a very good First English edition set, in correct, slightly age-darkened dust jackets that still retain excellent shelf-appearance. All volumes have foxing to the prelims and fore-edges, with the exception of Volume 7.
INTO BATTLE is the rare First State of the First Printing, per Cohen, with the printed numerals missing on Page 78. The unclipped dust jacket has fractional loss at the spine head and some scattered edge-chipping. The book is in very good condition, with a lovely, small bookplate on the front free endpaper, with an inked name and gift presentation both dated 1941.
THE UNRELENTING STRUGGLE is the First State of the First Printing, per Cohen, with the misprinted numerals on Page 281. The price-clipped dust jacket has fractional loss at the spine tail that has been filled out. The contents are otherwise fine, with an ink gift inscription on the front free endpaper dated 1943.
ONWARDS TO VICTORY has a former-owner name inked discreetly on the front free endpaper, else fine. The dust jacket is price-clipped.
THE DAWN OF LIBERATION has very light, scattered fore-edge foxing, else fine. The dust jacket is unclipped.
VICTORY is the First State of the First English Edition with the misprinted page numeral on on Page 177 missing the 1, as per Cohen. The dust jacket is unclipped.
SECRET SESSION SPEECHES unclipped dust jacket is lightly edge-chipped at the spine head, else fine.
Increasingly rare thus.