Gautama The Enlightened & Other Verse, John Masefield — 1st Edition

£125.00

Gautama The Enlightened & Other Verse, John Masefield — 1st Edition

Name: Gautama The Enlightened & Other Verse, John Masefield — 1st Edition
Brand: Broadhursts Books
SKU: 4016
Price: 125.00 GBP
Availability: InStock

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Publication: London, William Heinemann Ltd, 1941

Formatting: 8vo, pp. [vi], 58.

Condition Report: Very Good. The original blue cloth binding remains remarkably tight and square, featuring sharp corners and unoxidised, bright gilt tooling to the spine that shows virtually no shelf-wear. Internally, the text block is bright, clean, and free of foxing, with a sturdy hinge and crisp leaves. The original dust jacket is present and unclipped (retaining the 5s. net price on the front flap), though it exhibits noticeable browning and sun-toning to the spine and edges, alongside some light rubbing and minor edge-wear typical of wartime paper stock; nonetheless, it remains entirely intact and highly presentable.

Catalogue Note: First Edition, first printing. A uniquely appealing presentation copy of the Poet Laureate's wartime verse, featuring a significant and charmingly contextual autograph inscription by John Masefield on the front free endpaper. Dated 26 January 1945, Masefield's ink inscription reads: "With grateful thanks to one who has added much to the pleasure of my shopping in Oxford. '... in Basil Blackwell's shop. There in the Broad.'"

The quotation used in his inscription is pulled directly from "Shopping in Oxford," one of the four long poems included within this very volume. Presenting the book to an associate of the legendary Blackwell's bookshop while playfully quoting his own printed tribute to their establishment elevates this copy from a standard signed volume to a splendid piece of associative literary history. While unsigned first editions of this title are quite common on the open market, personalized presentation copies boasting such distinct, site-specific literary provenance are decidedly scarce.

Published in the midst of the Second World War, this slim collection contains four long poems by John Masefield, who was serving as the British Poet Laureate at the time. The verses range from classical legend and spiritual myth in "Gautama the Enlightened" and "Mahdama's Quest," to keen, affectionate observations of contemporary English life and commerce in "An Art Worker" and "Shopping in Oxford."

Book Condition: Very Good

Book Authors: John Masefield

Book Publisher: William Heinemann Ltd

Book Language: English

Narrative Type: Antiquarian

Genre: Poetry

Book edition: First Edition

Signed: Yes

Book Pages: 58

Book Publication Year: 1941

Book Publication Date:

Book Binding: Hardcover

Illustrator: N/A

Book Series: N/A

Country/region of manufacture: London, 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.