The Queen's Tact

London, England: Nicholson & Watson, Limited, 1938. Presumed First Edition, Presumed First Printing. Wraps. Good. Steven Spurrier. 16 pages., Illustration. Cover has some wear, tears, and soiling. Inscribed on the title page by the author. Inscription reads: Fredrick the Great from Hector the Grateful. Detroit, December 11th, 1938. Bookplate inside front cover indicates inscription was to Frederick J. Griffiths. This is believed to be the same person who authored Gunston Hall: Home of George Mason. Lorton, Virginia circa 1961. Includes a six page poem entitled "The Queen's Tact", as well as a drawing of Prince Albert and the Queen driving home, and bowing in their carriage. Henry Hector Bolitho (28 May 1897 - 12 September 1974) was a New Zealand author, novelist and biographer, who had 59 books published. Widely traveled, he spent most of his career in England. Hector Bolitho was born and educated in Auckland, New Zealand. He traveled in the South Sea Islands in 1919 and then through New Zealand with the Prince of Wales in 1920. Bolitho lived in Sydney from 1921 to 1923, where he became editor of the Shakespearean Quarterly and literary editor and drama critic of the Evening News in Sydney. He also traveled in Africa, Canada, America, and Germany in 1923-4, finally settling in Britain where he was to remain for the rest of his life. On his arrival in Britain he worked as a freelance journalist. At the start of World War II he joined the Royal Air Force Volunteer Reserve (RAFVR) as an intelligence officer with the rank of squadron leader, editing the Royal Air Force Weekly Bulletin, which in 1941 became the Royal Air Force Journal. In 1942 he was appointed editor of the Coastal Command Intelligence Review. Steven Spurrier RA (13 July 1878 - 11 March 1961) was a British artist and painter. His work was part of the painting event in the art competition at the 1928 Summer Olympics. Spurrier was born in London and from the age of seventeen served an apprenticeship to his silversmith father. Spurrier also studied art at evening classes at Heatherley's School of Art and then at the Gilbert Garrett School. In 1900, Spurrier gave up silverwork and became a freelance magazine illustrator. His work appeared in magazines such as Madame, Black and White, The Graphic, Illustrated London News, The Windsor Magazine and the Radio Times. During the First World War, he worked with the Admiralty developing dazzle camouflage for ships. During World War Two, in March 1944, the War Artists' Advisory Committee offered Spurrier a commission of 50 guineas to paint a picture of an Army discussion group. Spurrier exhibited at the Royal Academy from 1913, was made an associate member in 1945 and became a full member of the Academy in 1952. Spurrier also produced posters for theatrical productions and illustrated books.