THE WORLD CRISIS
-First English Edition Set without Dust Jackets-
1923-1931
First English Edition Set
Thornton Butterworth Ltd. [London]
Biblio: (Cohen A69.2[I.b, II-IV.a, V.b,VI.a]) (Woods A31ab)
8vo (5 volumes in 6 books. 2500+ pages, illustrated with folding maps and plans.)
Hardcover without Dust Jackets [Dark blue cloth]
Item Number: 212474
$2,250.00
Collector's Guide
The World Crisis is Churchill’s highly subjective history of the First World War. Comprising five volumes (in six books) written over eight years, the initial titles were first published in the U.S. (by a matter of days), making the American edition the true first edition. Volume I (1911-1914) and Volume II (1915) were published in 1923. Volume III (1916-1918 ) was published in two parts in 1927 (hence the five/in six volumes ultimate format). Volume IV (The Aftermath 1918-1928) was published in 1929; and Volume V (The Unknown War/The Eastern Front) in 1931. A one-volume abridgment by the author was soon issued. Most subsequent re-issues have been incomplete, abridged, or otherwise condensed versions of the original text.
Description
This is a very good First English edition set of First Printings, without dust jackets. The books are in very good condition, with the following caveats.
VOLUME I (Book 1), which is the Second State of the First Printing, per Cohen, with the Errata slip tipped-in opposite Page 1, is somewhat scuffed and shelfworn. The cloth is bright, but there are short tears at the spine head and tail, as well as very light, scattered foxing to the prelims and the fore-edge.
VOLUME II (Book 2) is similarly shelfworn, with whitened cloth at the front lower cover corner and some ruffling to the spine head, but no tears. The contents are fine with very faint scattered foxing to the prelims only.
VOLUME III Part 1 (Book 3) is a beautiful copy, with flap-toning to the endpapers, else fine.
VOLUME III Part 2 (Book 4) is crisp and bright, with a former-owner name discreetly inked on the front free endpaper, which is also flap-toned. There is a tiny vintage bookshop plate on the front pastedown and flap-toning to the rear free endpaper, as well. The contents are fine, with three or four spots of light foxing to the fore-edges.
VOLUME IV: THE AFTERMATH (Book 5), which is the First State of the First Printing, per Cohen, without an Errata slip opposite Page 9, is a very handsome copy, crips and bright, save for two previous owner names inked and another ink-stamped on the front free endpaper, along with the penned words: “Social History.” Else fine.
VOLUME V: THE EASTERN FRONT (Book 6) is a lovely copy with a tiny indentation on each front board edge and a former-owner name discreetly inked on the front free endpaper. Else fine.