Lotus Blossom by Lancing, George - 1939

New York: Lee Furman, 1939. Book. Illus. by H. Hurd (dust jacket illustration). Fair to Good. Hardcover. First Edition.. 8vo - over 7¾ - 9¾" tall. Set in China, and telling in fictional form the story of the Empress Dowager. The story of a beautiful young woman named Orchid who, on her way to Pekin to meet her betrothed, meets "the handsome young son of a country cobbler." An unusual relationship is subsequently formed between the girl who has grown up "with the feeling that she was one day destined to be the Empress of China," and the young man whose service as palace attendant in the Imperial Court requires that he first be castrated (that is one *hell* of a job-description requirement). Red cloth w/black spine lettering, 362 pages (including appendix). A bit cocked, discoloured/lightly stained cover edges, tanned/lightly soiled edges, gift inscription to previous owner, in significantly worn dust jacket. A scarce title in any condition, especially with a dust… Read More

New York: Lee Furman, Inc.. Near Fine in Very Good dj. (c.1939). First Edition. Hardcover. (price-clipped) [book is square and solid, very light soiling to page edges, miniscule bumping to bottom corner's, one-time owner's "Ex Libris" stamps on front pastedown; jacket is worn at edges and corners, various small tears, chipping and minor paper loss at spine ends, spine a bit faded]. "This charming historical novel of the late Empress Dowager of China combines the excitement and thrill of an Arabian Nights' tale with the current interest of a modern novel." (For quite a different gloss on the E.D., check out the provocatively-titled "The Woman Who Commanded 500,000,000 Men," currently featured in ReadInk's Catalog Number 3.) .