The Magnetic Mountain, C. Day Lewis — 1st Edition

£69.90

The Magnetic Mountain, C. Day Lewis — 1st Edition

Name: The Magnetic Mountain, C. Day Lewis — 1st Edition
Brand: Broadhursts Books
SKU: 6771
Price: 69.90 GBP
Availability: InStock

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Publication: London, The Hogarth Press, 1933

Formatting: 8vo, pp. 55.

Condition Report: Very Good. The original paper-covered boards display generalised light toning with some mild, scattered spotting, alongside gently bumped corners. The binding remains remarkably tight, square, and structurally secure, with only slight rubbing and minuscule wear to the spine ends. Internally, the text block is clean and bright, completely free of foxing or tears, with the sole exception of a contemporary ownership signature and date ('1933') to the front free endpaper.

Catalogue Note: This is a true first edition of C. Day Lewis’s The Magnetic Mountain, issued as Number 1 in the Second Series of the celebrated 'Hogarth Living Poets'. Published by Leonard and Virginia Woolf’s Hogarth Press, the volume features the striking, geometric cover design by John Banting that characterises the series.

It represents a vital piece of 1930s British literary history and remains highly desirable for collectors of both the Auden Group and Hogarth Press imprints. While not exceedingly rare, surviving copies in tight, unsplit condition with clean boards are increasingly scarce on the open market.

A seminal work of 1930s British poetry, The Magnetic Mountain is a sweeping political allegory comprising thirty-six lyrics. In it, C. Day Lewis, future Poet Laureate of the United Kingdom, explores the fraught tension between the individual and the collective, passionately advocating for a socialist utopia where body and spirit might be united. The collection cemented Day Lewis’s reputation alongside contemporaries W. H. Auden and Stephen Spender as a leading, radical voice of his generation, capturing the intense political and social anxieties of the interwar period.

Book Condition: Very Good

Book Authors: C. Day Lewis

Book Publisher: The Hogarth Press

Book Language: English

Narrative Type: Antiquarian

Genre: Poetry

Book edition: First Edition

Signed: No

Book Pages: 55

Book Publication Year: 1933

Book Publication Date:

Book Binding: Hardcover

Illustrator: N/A

Book Series: Hogarth Living Poets, Second Series

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.