ENGLISH NOVELISTS. [Britain in Pictures No. 23.]

UK,slim 8vo HB+dw/dj,1st edn.[Some titles including this title - were reprinted several times,while a few were revised.This example though is the true 1st edn and not a reprint.] VG++/VG.No owner inscrptn and no clip to dw/dj.Bright,crisp,clean,dark brown background with 3 white line- bordered edges with white lettering and white ink-stand and quill vignette/design illustrated front panel of dw/dj; with negligible shelf-wear or creasing to edges and corners - no major nicks or tears present. Minimal rubbing and chipping to both head+foot of spine/backstrip of dw/dj - some minor loss at head - minimal rubbing+chipping to all corners and a small closed tear to front,lower edge of dw/dj - due in part - to fragility of the wartime economy standards paper used.Internally to dw/dj, water-stain(?) to front top+bottom corners,foot of spine/backstrip and top,rear corner too - all with slight bleeding through.Spine/backstrip slightly dulled and with numbering - the first volume/title to start with numeration.Top+fore-edges ubiquitously lightly aged/toned but generally clean; contents bright,tight,clean,solid and sound - near pristine - no dog-ear reading creases to any pages' corners,appears unread - apart from my own collation.Front panel of dw/dj design repeated to front paper-covered card covers,rear cover plain dark brown with white 3 line-bordered edges; and dw/dj's rear panel containing publisher's advert for other titles in the series and white ink printed letters to spine/ backstrip,free endpapers with sporadic foxing/spotting.UK,slim 8vo HB+ dw/dj,1st edn,7-47pp [paginated] printed on Mellomex Book paper and includes 8 colour plates,16 b/w illustrations - all illustrations within the text; plus [unpaginated] half-title+title pages,colour+b/w illus lists/tables.
'Britain in Pictures' (BIP) a comprehensive series of illustrated books devoted to the life,art,institutions and achievements of the British.The majority of the titles,113 of 126 are under the banner of 'The British People in Pictures' series,plus 7 'British Commonwealth in Pictures' titles and a further 6 titles under the 'English Poets in Pictures' imprint - 6 further titles of the 132 listed,were never published.The earliest titles in the series were not numbered,although numbers were eventually added to the jacket spine (but not on the books themselves).Original price was 3/6 (later increased to 4/6,and then 5/-),and a normal print run averaging between 20,000 to 30,000 copies.
It may be said with truth that the panorama of everyday English unfolds itself to the best advantage not in the histories but in the novels of our people.The great characters of fiction are more deeply impressed on our memories than the men and women of history.Certainly the English novel is one of the outstanding glories of world literature,and its fine flowering is essentially a very special contribution of our native genius.In this book Miss Bowen,herself a distinguished novelist,gives a valuable and vivid survey of the principal English novelists from John Lyly to Virginia Woolf.
Since April 2013,again in March 2015,and in this year too,the UK Post Office has altered it's Pricing in Proportion template,altering it's prices, weight allowances,dimensions and lowered it's qualifying compensation rates too! So,please contact rpaxtonden@blueyonder.co.uk ,because of the lighter weight of this item for correct shipping/P+p quotes - particularly ALL overseas buyers - BEFORE ordering through the order page!