The Old Huntsman : The Poet Edward Shanks Personal Copy

The First UK printing published by William Heinemann in 1917. The BOOK is in Very Good++ condition. Some pushing at the spine ends with some age related markings to the boards. The original publisher's printed paper label to the spine is present and is a little toned and chipped but all the lettering is present. Some toning to the text block and the outer pages edges. Light spotting to the prelims in places. A small neat previous owner's bookplate to the front pastedown. The WRAPPER is complete and now presents in Very Good++ condition with some light toning to the spine and some mild age rated markings. There has been some expert professional restoration to the spine ends, the upper rear edge and a smaller area at the front lower edge. The wrapper is protected in a removable Brodart archival cover. Sassoon's first major collection of war poetry, with the tipped-in errata slip. One of only 740 copies of the English issue out of a total edition of 1000 copies printed; 260 sets of sheets were exported to the U. S. (Keynes A15a). The book bears the neat penned ownership name 'Edward Shanks, 24. V. 17' to the front upper blank end-paper. Edward Shanks was an English writer, known as a war poet of World War I, then as an academic and journalist, and literary critic and biographer. He was editor of 'Granta' from 1912 13 and then served in World War I with the British Army in France, but was invalided out in 1915, and did administrative work until war's end. He was the first recipient of 'The Hawthornden Prize' in 1919 which Siegfried Sassoon himself would go on to win in 1928 with 'Memoirs of a fox-hunting man'. An interesting association copy. Collectible. More images available on request. Ashton Rare Books welcomes direct contact.