Trafalgar - The Biography of a Battle.

UK,8vo HB+dw/dj,1st edn. FINE/FINE-.No owner inscrptn and no price-clip to dw/dj.Bright,crisp,clean matt,colour pictorial artwork by Larry Rostant,illustrated front panel of dw/dj,with capitalised,white lettered author name and sub-title.bright,crisp,embossed gilt-lettered part-title (Trafalgar) to front panel of dw/dj,with thumbnail colour painting detail to head of spine/backstrip of dw/dj with capitalised black-lettered author name on thumbnail detail,flat printed gilt-lettered part-title (Trafalgar) and capitalised white lettered sub-title with b/w illustrated+lettered publisher's colophon to foot,rear pane with b/w painting deatil reproduction from The Battle of Trafalgar of 'Captain Harvey of the Temeraire,with part of his brave ship's company,clearing the deck of the French and Spaniards who had succeeded in boarding and striking the British flag' (National maritime Museum). Negligible shelf-wear,bumping or creasing to edges and corners - no nicks,tears or splits present. Majority of light creasing with minimal curl is to the top edges of dw/dj.Top+fore- edges though very lightly toned are still bright and clean with one tiny blemish on fore-edge - no foxing/spotting; contents bright,tight,clean,solid and sound - virtually pristine - no dog-ear reading creases to any pages' corners,appears unread - apart from my own collation.Bright,crisp,clean,sharp-cornered, publisher's original plain black cloth boards with bright,crisp,blocked silver gilt letters to spine/backstrip,a b/w striped headband and immaculate b/w line illustrations of ships' outlines and key,to pastedowns and endpapers.UK,8vo HB+dw/dj,1st edn,x-xxiiipp+2- 392pp [paginated] includes contents list/table,illustrations list/table, an introduction,a prologue,15 chapters,24pp (16pp b/w & 8pp colour) contemporary 19thC b/w illus reproductions and historical colour painting details,in 3 blocks of 8pp apiece,between pp72/3, pp200/01 and pp296/7 respectively,Ships and their Captains,notes, acknowledgements,selected reading,a bibliography and an index. Plus [unpaginated] half-title+title pages,a b/w facsimile 1805 nautical chart,a dedication,and maps+plans list/table. See my book ID rja692317 for a UK,8vo HB+dw/dj, author SIGNED,1st edn example of this same title. Visually the exterior appearance is exceptional,and particularly internally,the book is also in an exceptional condition/state of preservation and presentation for a book of its age. It is only the minimal exterior faults that prevents a slightly higher grading. Despite them, it really is still an exceptional,exemplary copy for its cleanliness and brightness. This is the true story of the Battle of Trafalgar, Britain's most significant sea battle,as seen through the smoke-hazed gunports of the fighting ships.In an atmosphere of choking fumes from cannon and musket fire,amid noise so intense it was almost tangible,the crews of the British,French and Spanish ships did their best to carry out their allotted tasks. For over five hours they were in constant danger from a terrifying array of iron and lead missiles fired from enemy guns,as well as the deadly wooden splinters smashed from the ships' hulls by the cannon-balls. While the men manoeuvred the ships and kept the cannons firing,the women helped the surgeons tend the sick or helped the boys - the 'powder monkeys' - in the hazardous job of carrying gunpowder cartridges from the central magazine to the gun decks. Trafalgar set the seal on British naval supremacy,which became the mainspring for the growth of the British Empire,and in the short term not only prevented Napoleon from invading Britain,but also enabled Britain and its Continental allies to mount the campaign that would eventually defeat the French Emperor: without Trafalgar there would be no Waterloo. Please contact seller for correct shipping/P+p quotes - particularly ALL overseas buyers - BEFORE ordering through the order page! ** N.B. ALL buyers please note,stocks' actual shipping/P+p costs are adjusted and any difference is refunded,after order's receipt and before the order's despatch,especially if the item(s) are offered either P+p included/FREE. ** N.B. US/Canada customers please be aware: Standard AIRMAIL postage from UK to these destinations can now cost more than the price of the book! If speed is not of the essence,then Economy rate is recommended - at approx. anything from a 1/3rd to 1/2 of the standard AIR quote/rate - sometimes arriving sooner than the 42 days - but not always.