WITH THE ERIC RAVILIOUS DUSTWRAPPER.

HUTCHINSON, R. C.; [Eric RAVILIOUS, Dustwrapper] ~ Shining Scabbard.

FIRST UK PRINTING. Cassell, London: 1936.

Thick 8vo., red publisher's cloth, lettered with decorative borders in gilt to spine; in the red and black printed dustwrapper, featuring a vignette by Eric Ravilious to the upper panel; THE BOOK very good ++, slightly pushed at spine tips with some light spotting affecting the outer edges of the text block, occasionally extending to prelims; the endpapers very faintly offset; THE WRAPPER near-fine, slightly darkened to the backstrip with some very minor creasing to folds, odd spots, and night nicking to the edges, particularly at spine tips; one small dark pencil mark to the upper panel. The wrapper is protected in a removable Brodart archival cover. FIRST UK EDITION. The author's extremely popular sixth novel, which went through 5 editions before the end of the war in 1945. The plot is set in 1913, and follows the Severin family, who are comprised of Colonel Eugène Séverin, (previously courtmartialed for cowardice in the campaign of 1870 whose primary goal is to reclaim his honour); his wife Madeleine; his sister Therese (once a famous Parisian actress, who voluntarily shares in his exile); his school teacher daughter, Marianne; his gaudy old mother, Mme. Nayda, a fantastic relic of Ukrainian aristocracy; and last but not least, Renée, his daughter-in-law, who has brought her two children back from an army post in Africa. This, the true first issue, comes complete with the rare Ravilious dustwrapper (not present in the American edition), which is seldom found in such bright condition. Hutchinson was later short-listed for the 1976 Booker Prize.

BINDING: Hardcover
CONDITION: Very Good ++
JACKET: Near Fine