The Chronicle of the Cid

New York: The Limited Editions Club, 1958. Hardcover. Introduction by V.S. Pritchett. Illustrations by Rene Ben Sussan. 4to. Decorative cloth with gilt-lettered burgundy calf spine label, slipcase with paper spine label. xxxiv, 196pp. Full-page color plates. Near fine/near fine. Handsome copy of the 10th title in the LEC's 26th series, with colophon at rear noting limitation of 1500 numbered copies (this #726) signed by Ben Sussan. In 1808 British poet Southey translated the tales about this legendary (but real) 11th century Castilian knight. This copy bears three interesting autograph additions: In 1961 the epic historical drama "El Cid" was released, and tipped to the front flyleaf of this copy are fine signatures of a trio of that film's stars. Top to bottom: Charlton Heston (1923-2008, who portrays El Cid, Don Rodrigo Díaz de Vivar) signs a heavy stock 5" X 3" card huge and bold in black fineline; below him Sophia Loren (born 1934, who portrays El Cid's wife Chimene) boldly signs in black fineline a buff decorative-edged bookplate; and below her Raf Vallone (1916-2002, who portrays Garcia Ordóñez) signs big and bold in black fineline on a heavy stock 5" X 3" card, dating it 20 January 1971 at upper right. Laid in is the ideal bookmark: Vallone's original transmittal envelope. Quite an unusual copy. NEWMAN 289.