The Death of a God and Other Stories, Osbert Sitwell — 1st Edition

£30.50

The Death of a God and Other Stories, Osbert Sitwell — 1st Edition

Name: The Death of a God and Other Stories, Osbert Sitwell — 1st Edition
Brand: Broadhursts Books
SKU: 4046-RM-F-VG-2
Price: 30.50 GBP
Availability: InStock

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£30.50

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Publication: London, Macmillan & Co. Ltd, 1949

Formatting: 8vo, pp. [viii], 247, [1].

Condition Report: Very Good. The volume presents firmly in the publisher's original red cloth, with the gilt tooling to the black spine vignette remaining bright and unoxidised. The binding is tight and square, showing minimal shelf-wear and only slight rubbing to the board extremities. Internally, the pages retain an excellent level of brightness, though there is the expected mild age-toning to the text block edges and faint offsetting to the endpapers typical of post-war paper stock. The front free endpaper bears a neat ownership signature in blue ink. Original dust jacket remains unclipped (retaining the 8s. 6d. net price on the flap) and visually striking. It exhibits some minor nicks and shallow chipping to the head and tail of the spine, alongside mild age-toning to the rear panel and spine edge, but it survives as a highly presentable and complete example.

Catalogue Note: First edition, first impression. This post-war collection is highly regarded for its striking, macabre dust jacket illustrated by Harry Cowdell, which perfectly encapsulates the satirical and slightly gothic undertones of Sitwell’s prose. The volume carries a standard previous ownership signature ('D. Buckingham') to the front free endpaper, serving as a factual record of its domestic provenance.

Examples that retain a bright, unclipped dust jacket free of significant loss or heavy tape repairs are increasingly difficult to source.

Published in 1949, The Death of a God and Other Stories gathers nineteen of Sir Osbert Sitwell’s most refined short fictions. Blending his trademark aristocratic wit with a poignant sense of post-war melancholy, Sitwell explores the eccentricities, decaying grandeur, and shifting social landscapes of British society. The collection notably features "A Place of One's Own," a celebrated ghost story that had been successfully adapted into a film just a few years prior, cementing Sitwell's reputation as a master of atmospheric and socially observant English literature.

Book Condition: Very Good

Book Authors: Osbert Sitwell

Book Publisher: Macmillan & Co.

Book Language: English

Narrative Type: Fiction

Genre: Anthologies & Short Stories

Book edition: First Edition

Signed: No

Book Pages: 247

Book Publication Year: 1949

Book Publication Date:

Book Binding: Cloth

Illustrator: Harry Cowdell (Dust Jacket)

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.