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Rainford & Parris Books

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book (2)

Carve Her Name With Pride

MINNEY, R J 1st Edition, 1st Printing. 13.7 x 22 cm green boards with gilt stamped titles to the spine Top edge red, map endpapers, 187pp with 24 pages of photographic illustrations and 2 full page maps. In original unclipped dust jacket priced at 16s net. Clean boards with just a hint of toning to the spine and a little pushing corners to the spine. Internally there is a an ownership name on the front free endpaper and a blind stamp stating the book comes from the library of Rupert W S Allason the Conservative MP. He is probably better known as the writer Nigel West who has been regarded as, 'the unofficial historian of the Secret Services.' The book is clean with just a touch of toning on the endpapers where the dust jacket does not reach and on the edge of the textblock. The dust jacket, which is now protected in a removable clear cover (not shown), has a little dust staining to the rear panel and some sunning to the spine. There is some rubbing, mainly to the spine tips corners and edges with a little chipping and surface abrasion. there are two closed tears of around 1cm on the front cover and a couple on the rear. A detailed biography of SOE agent Violette Szabo, the only woman agent to be awarded the George Cross during WWII. The book became the basis of Lewis Gilbert's classic feature film (1958) starring Virginia McKenna, Paul Scofield and Jack Warner. Rainford & Parris Books welcomes enquiries, so please do not hesitate to ask if you require further images or have any questions. All books are packaged with great care.
  • $178
book (2)

Purcell’s The Fairy Queen as presented by The Sadler’s Wells Ballet and The Covent Garden Opera

1st Edition, 18.5 x 25 cm red cloth boards with gilt stamped titles to the spine. 96pp including 55 pages of black and white illustrations. In original unclipped dust jacket priced at 21s net. The book is signed by Michael Ayrton, who was the designer of the scenery and costume, on the front free endpaper. Laid in is an invitation to an exhibition of Ayrton's recent painting and his designs for the show The boards have just a touch of dust marking to the top and bottom edges. Internally, the book is generally clean noting only an ink mark on the title page for The Plates (possibly a production fault). There are also a couple of pages towards the rear of the book where the printing from the verso of the page shows through somewhat. The artist's signature on the front free endpaper is clear and bright. The dust jacket, which is now protected in a removable, clear cover (not shown), has rubbing to the corners, spine tips and edges with a number of tiny tears and minor chips and creasing along the top edge and one small tear along the bottom edge. The laid in invitation to Ayrton's exhibition is an added bonus. An excellent signed 1st edition copy recording the first major production of Saddler's Wells and English National Opera following the war. Rainford & Parris Books welcomes enquiries, so please do not hesitate to ask if you require further images or have any questions. All books are packaged with great care.