The World Crisis, 1916-1918, Volumes I & II, immaculate jacketed first editions in the very rare publisher's slipcase by Winston S. Churchill - 1927

New York: Charles Scribner's Sons, 1927. First U.S. edition, first printing. Hardcover. This is a beautifully preserved, jacketed U.S. first edition set of the 1916-1918 volumes of Churchill's The World Crisis in the rare original publisher's slipcase. A quarter of a century before the Second World War endowed him with lasting fame, Winston Churchill played a uniquely critical, controversial, and varied role in the “War to end all wars”. The events of these 1916-1918 volumes include Churchill's time at the Front following his political exile and his subsequent return to the Cabinet. The U.S. is the true first edition, as U.S. Volume I publication preceded the British. Both the U.S. and British editions were originally published as six individual books between 1923 and 1931. Today, jacketed first editions are quite scarce - jacketed U.S. editions even more so. Perhaps most scarce is the original U.S. publisher's slipcase for the 1916-1918 first editions; Charles Scribner's Sons originally issued the two 1916-1918 volumes as a boxed set in a cardboard slipcase. The few slipcases we have seen previously bear three pasted labels. A large, 8.25 x 5.75 inch label printed dark red on ivory on the right side of the slipcase bears an extensive blurb about Churchill and the work. A smaller label on the upper spine of the slipcase, likewise printed dark red on ivory, measures 4 x 3.25 inches and bears the title, author, and publisher. A bright orange promotional label on the lower portion of the slipcase spine measuring 3.75 x 3 inches bears black ink print advertising Churchill's preceding World Crisis volumes. This is the only slipcase we have ever seen without the third, orange advertisement label, likely indicating earlier precedence. The jackets are near fine plus - lovely and unclipped with just trivial edgewear (primarily incident to slipping in and out of the case). We note mild and uniform toning to the spines and some transfer browning to the two dust jacket faces that face the inner slipcase walls.  We have now fitted the dust jackets with removable, archival quality clear covers to guard against any further wear. The volumes are superlative, truly fine.  Both volumes are clearly unread with crisp, immaculate contents and no previous ownership marks. The fragile slipcase is entirely complete and shows only slight wear and soiling, mostly confined to the corners and the upper edge at the opening. The top left seam appears to have once been reinforced with some tape, leaving a thin strip of residue, but is nonetheless intact, having been carefully repaired with archival glue. The six volumes of The World Crisis span the 1911-1918 war years, including two supplemental volumes covering the postwar years 1918-1928 (The Aftermath) and the Eastern theatre (The Eastern Front). Of The World Crisis, Frederick Woods wrote: "The volumes contain some of Churchill's finest writing, weaving the many threads together with majestic ease, describing the massive battles in terms which fitly combine relish of the literary challenge with an awareness of the sombre tragedy of the events." Churchill was in a special position to write this history, having served both in the Cabinet and on the Front. Churchill served as First Lord of the Admiralty from 1911 until 1915, but after the failure in the Dardanelles, he was scapegoated and forced to resign. He spent his political exile as a lieutenant colonel leading a battalion in the trenches. Before the war's end, Churchill was exonerated and rejoined the Government, foreshadowing the political isolation and restoration he would experience nearly two decades later leading up to the Second World War. Despite Churchill's political recovery, the stigma of the Dardanelles would linger. Churchill may have meant for his history of the First World War to clear his name, but his six volume masterwork far exceeds this purpose. Bibliographic reference: Cohen A69.1(III-1&2).a, Woods/ICS A31(aa), Langworth p.104