The Lay of Love and Death of Cornet Christopher Rilke, Rainer Maria Rilke — 1st Ed

£22.50

The Lay of Love and Death of Cornet Christopher Rilke, Rainer Maria Rilke — 1st Ed

Name: The Lay of Love and Death of Cornet Christopher Rilke, Rainer Maria Rilke — 1st Ed
Brand: Broadhursts Books
SKU: 5651
Price: 22.50 GBP
Availability: InStock

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Publication: London, Lindsay Drummond, 1948

Formatting: 8vo.

Condition Report: Very Good. The volume remains tightly bound and structurally sound, with secure hinges and no leaning to the spine. The boards are clean and firm beneath the jacket. Internally, the pages are largely bright, though some expected, age-related foxing and light toning are present, most noticeably to the endpapers and text-block edges. The original dust jacket is remarkably complete and unclipped, displaying moderate, general age-toning, especially to the plain rear panel and spine, along with minor edge-wear, subtle creasing, and very shallow nicks at the extreme head and tail of the spine.

Catalogue Note: This volume is the first edition thus, featuring the English translation by Leslie Phillips and Stefan Schimanski.

The text is notably enhanced by the striking, gothic-romantic cover and title page design by the acclaimed French illustrator and aesthete Philippe Jullian, which perfectly captures the melancholic beauty of the narrative.

While later reprints and alternative translations of this work are relatively frequent, this specific post-war edition is quite uncommon on the open market, particularly when retaining its original, fragile dust jacket in such respectable condition.

Rainer Maria Rilke’s The Lay of Love and Death of Cornet Christopher Rilke is a hauntingly beautiful prose poem that captures the fleeting passions and tragic destiny of a young seventeenth-century soldier. Written in a single, feverish burst of inspiration in 1899, this lyrical masterpiece charts the brief, intense journey of the young cornet as he rides out against the Turks, experiences the intoxicating ecstasy of a single night of love, and heroically falls in battle at the dawn of the next day. An instant sensation upon its initial publication, it remains one of Rilke's most evocative and enduring works, offering a profound meditation on youth, romance, and mortality.

Book Condition: Very Good

Book Authors: Rainer Maria Rilke

Book Publisher: Lindsay Drummond

Book Language: English

Narrative Type: Fiction

Genre: Poetry

Book edition: First Edition

Signed: No

Book Pages:

Book Publication Year: 1948

Book Publication Date:

Book Binding: Hardcover

Illustrator: Philippe Jullian

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.

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