Randolph S. Churchill, and Martin Gilbert | The Official Biography. London: William Heinemann, Ltd., 1966-2000

Randolph S. Churchill, and Martin Gilbert

The Official Biography. London: William Heinemann, Ltd., 1966-2000

24 volumes, 8vo. Main volumes I-IV with varying degrees of wear and age, including some scuffing to the prelims. Original red cloth, original dust jackets; Companion Volume I Part 1, Volume III Part 2, and Volume IV Parts 1-3 jackets price-clipped, paper clip shadows on the signature page of main Volume III, professionally repaired front hinge break in Volume IV, Volumes I-IV with some fading to topstains, scattered foxing to fore-edges, edgewear and chips to jackets, Volume VI jacket price-clipped.

FIRST ENGLISH EDITION SET, PRESENTATION SET, SIGNED BY CLEMENTINE CHURCHILL, MARTIN GILBERT, AND INSCRIBED TO DOUGLAS FAIRBANKS BY RANDOLPH CHURCHILL

This first English edition set is signed sequentially by Randolph Churchill, Clementine Churchill, and Martin Gilbert. Volumes I and II are signed and inscribed on the title-pages by Randolph Churchill to the Hollywoood film star Douglas Fairbanks. The inscription in Volume I reads: “Inscribed for Douglas Fairbanks by Randolph S. Churchill, Nov. 66.” The inscription in Volume II reads: “Inscribed for Douglas Williams [sic] by Randolph S. Churchill” (Randolph may well have been in his cups). Volumes III-V are each signed in ink on the front free endpapers by Clementine Churchill: “Inscribed by Clementine Spencer Churchill.” The words: “April - 92 age” have been jotted just above the inscription in Volume IV, which dates the signature to 1977. Clementine Churchill was born on 1 April 1885, and died on 12 December 1977 at the age of 92. Though the hand is shaky, the fact that Clementine did indeed sign volumes of The Official Biography is quite surprising. These may, in fact, be unique. Finally, Volume VII has been neatly signed in ink on the title page: “Martin Gilbert”.

A RARITY IN TERMS OF SIGNATURES

REFERENCE:

Za302a-h; R230a-h

PROVENANCE:

Douglas Fairbanks (inscription; bookplates to front pastedowns)