Convict "13": A Ballad of Maidstone Gaol, Horatio Bottomley — 1st Edition

£42.50

Convict "13": A Ballad of Maidstone Gaol, Horatio Bottomley — 1st Edition

Name: Convict "13": A Ballad of Maidstone Gaol, Horatio Bottomley — 1st Edition
Brand: Broadhursts Books
SKU: 6107
Price: 42.50 GBP
Availability: InStock

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Publication: London, Stanley Paul & Co., Ltd., [c. 1927]

Formatting: Crown 8vo, unpaginated, original printed card wrappers.

Condition Report: Very Good. The original printed card wrappers present remarkably well beneath a clear protective sleeve, remaining wonderfully bright, crisp, and largely unrubbed, with the striking cover illustration and typography retaining their deep black ink without any notable fading. The binding remains firm and entirely square, with no creasing to the spine. Internally, however, the volume is let down by pronounced, heavy foxing to the inner covers and preliminary endpapers, which extends in a lighter, more scattered form throughout the text block. Despite the internal spotting, it remains a structurally sound and externally highly attractive copy of a fragile production.

Catalogue Note: First Edition. A genuinely scarce survival, this slim volume represents Bottomley's attempt to capitalise on his notoriety following his release from Maidstone Gaol. Issued in fragile card covers and priced at just one shilling, these ephemeral pamphlets were heavily handled and rarely preserved in such crisp external condition.

While his simultaneous publication, Songs of the Cell, was issued in cloth boards, this ballad was produced quickly for the mass market and has consequently become remarkably uncommon on the open market today, particularly without significant wear, creasing, or loss to the wrappers.

Following his dramatic fall from grace, from a prominent Member of Parliament and millionaire press baron to a convicted fraudster, Horatio Bottomley penned this sensationalist and self-pitying poem upon his release from a seven-year sentence. Consciously echoing Oscar Wilde's The Ballad of Reading Gaol, Bottomley's verses offer a defiant, bombastic, and deeply fascinating piece of 1920s true-crime ephemera, capturing the unrepentant spirit of one of Edwardian England's most infamous rogues.

Book Condition: Very Good

Book Authors: Horatio Bottomley

Book Publisher: Stanley Paul & Co., Ltd.

Book Language: English

Narrative Type: Antiquarian

Genre: Poetry

Book edition: First Edition

Signed: No

Book Pages:

Book Publication Year: 1927

Book Publication Date:

Book Binding: Softcover

Illustrator: N/A

Book Series: N/A

Country/region of manufacture: London and Southampton, United Kingdom

Book Dimensions:

Book Condition Guide

We stock thousands of books in a wide range of conditions. To make things clear and to help you know exactly what to expect, Please refer to these condition categories to understand the condition of the book you will receive.

Condition	Description
New	A brand-new, unread and professionally handled book. Carefully preserved from publication to purchase, these books are offered in the best attainable condition. This grade applies to recently published titles that have not entered long-term storage.
As New	The book is in pristine, original condition as if just published. No signs of use or handling. The dust jacket (if present) is equally flawless. This grade applies to any book that has remained untouched in storage for years.
Fine	The book is close to As New. It remains bright and attractive, but could show minor imperfections to the boards and/or dust jacket (if present). Its pages are typically clean and unmarked.
Near Fine	The book has a number of small flaws, i.e. slight rubbing to the edges, or tiny chips or creases to the dust jacket (if present). Its pages may have faint marks, or creases that are barely perceptible — nothing that detracts from their overall condition.
Very Good	The book maintains its structural integrity, and has no major flaws such as tears to its binding or pages. It may, however, show signs of careful use, handling, or storage — small marks and creases, light foxing. Its dust jacket (if present) remains fully intact, but small tears may be present.
Good	A book that remains intact and readable with complete text pages, but shows moderate signs of wear and use to both the book and dust jacket (if present). It may have noticeable creases, nicks, or stains, and the spine likely shows fading, bumping, and rubbing. There could be writing, underlining, and other marks on some pages, though the majority will be clean and tidy.
Fair	A book with significant wear or damage. The text pages will be complete, but there may be heavy underlining, highlighting and staining throughout, and the book’s endpapers, half-title, and copyright pages could be damaged or missing. The binding could be loose, and the dust jacket (if present) may have notable scuffs or tears. These copies are usually of interest for content, signature(s) or scarcity.
Poor	A heavily worn book whose value lies in its complete and legible text. A poor book will have substantial defects — loose joints or hinges, detached covers, loose and/or missing pages, and could be heavily soiled. A poor book is also known as a reading copy, and although compromised, can hold historical or bibliographic significance.