INDIAN RAILWAY LIBRARY [7 Issues in 2 Volumes]

Allahabad: A.H. Wheeler & Co. 7 issues bound in 2 volumes. Half green calf and green cloth boards, flat back with gilt rules, gilt title direct to spine. VOLUME 1: containing the first 4 volumes of the Indian Railway Library (IRL). The covers were designed at the Mayo School of Art, Lahore, where Kipling's father, J. Lockwood Kipling, was the Director. On the covers of each volume, at the head, will be found the signature of E.W.M. Norie, Colonel and Adjutant of George V of Britain (1862-1915). Col. Norie was born in India to English Parents, was sent to a boarding school in Edinburgh and later completed a military education in England. He is mentioned as part of the personal staff of Major-General Sir Bindon Blood in Churchill's The Story of the Malakand Field Force "Captain E.W.M. Norie, Superintendent, Army Signalling (Middlesex Regiment)." Norie is also the author of a book on Military Operations in China 1900-1901, published in 1903, where Norie participated as a Captain in the international military coalition, which was assigned to fighting the Chinese insurgents during the Boxer Rebellion. Along with his signature at the head of each cover is his name printed in black ink artfully blending in with the cover art and print. Indian Railway Library (IRL) No. 1. SOLDIERS THREE, 1889, 2nd Indian edition. Front and rear grey/green illustrated wrappers bound-in. Pp. 1-page publisher's adverts with "Opinions of the Press" on verso, [99], duplicate page of adverts to rear. (Stewart 29; Livingston 29); IRL No. 2. THE STORY OF THE GADSBYS, [1888], First Indian Edition, 2nd issue - the mountains of the cover design were retouched denoting a second issue of the first edition. In the dated 1889 second edition, the cover was entirely reingraved. Grey/green illustrated front and rear wrappers bound-in. Pp. vi (including 2-page publ. adverts), 100, [1], vii, (includes duplicate advert page, plus "Opinions of the Press"). (Stewart 32; Livingston 31); IRL No. 3. IN BLACK & WHITE, [1888], First Indian Edition. Cream illustrated front and rear wrappers bound-in. Pp. [ii] - publ. adverts., [vi], 106, ii, vii - includes duplicate page of adverts., and "Opinions of the Press". (Stewart 37; Livingston 34); IRL No. 4. UNDER THE DEODARS, [1888], First Indian Edition. Grey/green illustrated front and rear wrappers bound-in. Pp. [ii] - publ. adverts, 3 leaves, 106, vii - includes duplicate adverts. page, and "Opinions of the Press". (Stewart 46; Livingston 37). VOLUME 2: containing the next 2 volumes of the Indian Railway Library, plus an additional volume. IRL No. 5. THE PHANTOM RICKSHAW & OTHER EERIE TALES, [1888], First Edition. Grey/green illustrated front and rear wrappers bound-in. Two forms of the front cover have been noted , this is the more common variant 2. Pp. [ii] - publ. adverts., 3 leaves, 114, vii - includes duplicate adverts. page, and "Opinions of the Press". (Stewart 51; Livingston 40); IRL No. 6. WEE WILLIE WINKIE & OTHER CHILD STORIES, [1888], First Indian Edition. Grey/green illustrated front and rear wrappers bound-in. The cover designs were retouched at least three times and re-engraved twice. This is the second variant. Pp. [ii] - publ. adverts, 3 leaves, 104, vii - includes duplicate adverts. page, and "Opinions of the Press". (Stewart 54; Livingston 43). Also bound-in is THE CITY OF DREADFUL NIGHT AND OTHER PLACES. Allahabad: A.H. Wheeler & Co.; London: Sampson Low, Marston & Company, [1891], First English Edition. IRL No. 14, grey/green front and rear illustrated wrappers bound-in, adverts to rear cover and inside both covers. Small slip tipped-in at title-page with regard to the title having already been used by James Thomson, and receiving permission for its use here. "These little paperbacks created the first Kipling boom: carried by travelers and tourists all over Asia and then the wider world, they won the notice in London and New York that "Departmental Ditties" and "Plain Tales" had yet to achieve." - Richards, Rudyard Kipling: The Books I Leave Behind, p.39. . Hard Cover with Original Wraps. Very Good.. Octavo.