SEVEN PILLARS OF WISDOM, A TRIUMPH. by Lawrence, T.E - 1935

Jonathan Cape, London., 1935 First Trade Edition, First Impression (with illustrations on pages 304-305 listed incorrectly). 672 printed pages. With portrait frontispiece, 53 plates and four maps. Engraved armorial bookplate of R.T. Landale on front paste-down endpaper ("Pax aut Defensio". Peace or Defence. The crest is described as "A Dexter Arm, embowed, hand holding up two branches of laurel crown). Marbled endpapers. All edges gilt. Blind decorated inner dentelles. Stamped in gilt on rear paste-down endpaper "Bound by W.H.Smith & Sons Ltd." Historic & discreet repair to gutter of front endpaper and half-title page with strong paper tape. 20 x 25 cm. Bound by W.H.Smith & Sons Ltd. in contemporary full dark green niger morocco. The spine in six compartments with raised bands, gilt lettering, the panels with Arts & Crafts floreate style gilt ornamentation. The covers with double gilt fillets and tooled corners (very slightly bumped). This is the first edition that was printed for general circulation. Provenance:- R. T. Landale was a Major, British Embassy, Publicity Section & British diplomat serving in Egypt during the Second World War. He was prominent in the WW2 UK's Cairo Embassy publicity section until 1949, having created "The Landale Organisation" (q.v.) that dealt with developing contact lists with prominent Egyptians as a British propaganda tool. Landale's initiatives were enviable and US propagandists had nothing like the Landale Organisation. T.E. Lawrence's own Middle Eastern diplomacy and engagement with local influencers was clearly an inspiration to Landale (whose diplomatic career later progressed in the 1960's as he was promoted to be Consul of Brazil). O'Brien A042. A particularly handsome copy with an intriguing historical association.. 1st Edition. Hardcover. Very Good.