The Autocar: October–December 1950, Various Authors

£80.00

The Autocar: October–December 1950, Various Authors

Name: The Autocar: October–December 1950, Various Authors
Brand: Broadhursts Books
SKU: 5435
Price: 80.00 GBP
Availability: InStock

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Publication: London, Iliffe & Sons Ltd, 1950

Formatting: 4to, 9 original issues bound in a single volume, paginated variously.

Condition Report: Very Good. The volume is tightly and squarely bound in blue cloth, maintaining a firm text block without any leaning or looseness to the hinges. The boards display minor surface scuffing and light rubbing to the extremities, indicative of normal shelf storage over the decades. The text block edges exhibit noticeable but standard age-toning, a common occurrence given the mid-century paper stock, though the interior pages themselves remain remarkably clean, crisp, and bright with only faint marginal toning. All original wrappers have been flawlessly bound-in without severe trimming, preserving their vibrant colours and structural integrity. An overall highly presentable and sturdy copy.

Catalogue Note: This is a custom-bound volume of The Autocar, collecting the final quarter of the year. Crucially for collectors, this volume retains all original front and rear wrappers for the nine included issues, a true rarity, as many contemporary institutional and private bind-ups stripped these covers to save space.

The volume is of particular historical interest due to the inclusion of both the highly sought-after 'London Show Guide' and 'The London Show Report', covering the Earls Court International Motor Show. Furthermore, this quarter coincided with the severe London printing trade dispute. As a result, several weekly issues (including October 6th, October 27th, November 3rd, and November 10th) were never printed.

This volume uniquely captures this publishing anomaly by retaining the notices bound in by the publisher or binder in place of the missing issues, expressly stating they were 'NOT PUBLISHED owing to Printing Strike.' This acts as both a piece of motoring history and a tangible artefact of mid-century British publishing struggles. Copies retaining all covers alongside these historical strike notices are genuinely scarce on the open market.

This uniquely compiled volume of The Autocar captures a defining era in mid-century British motoring, vividly chronicling the final quarter of 1950. Highlighting the excitement of a revitalised post-war automotive industry, it features extensive, highly illustrated coverage of the International Motor Show at Earls Court, complete with detailed reports on marques like Jaguar, Triumph, and Aston Martin. Beyond its rich motoring pedigree, this specific volume stands as a fascinating piece of publishing history, bearing the direct scars of the 1950 London printing dispute, complete with the original bound-in notices marking the weeks the presses were forced to fall silent.

Book Condition: Very Good

Book Authors: Various

Book Publisher: Iliffe & Sons Ltd

Book Language: English

Narrative Type: Non-Fiction

Genre: Automotive

Book edition:

Signed: No

Book Pages:

Book Publication Year: 1950

Book Publication Date:

Book Binding: Hardcover

Illustrator: N/A

Book Series: The Autocar

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.