The Songs of a Broken Airman, Jimmie Howcroft — 1st Edition

£105.00

The Songs of a Broken Airman, Jimmie Howcroft — 1st Edition

Name: The Songs of a Broken Airman, Jimmie Howcroft — 1st Edition
Brand: Broadhursts Books
SKU: 5491
Price: 105.00 GBP
Availability: InStock

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Publication: London, Hodder and Stoughton Limited, 1923

Formatting: 8vo, pp. xii, 42.

Condition Report: Good. The original royal blue cloth binding remains remarkably firm and square, with the black lettering and publisher's device to the front board retaining excellent clarity, free from significant bumping or notable shelf-wear. Internally, the structural integrity is uncompromised, with tight and secure hinges. However, the preliminary leaves and text block are affected by persistent and pervasive foxing, most notable to the endpapers, title page, and frontispiece, which inherently tempers the internal grade. The unclipped dust wrapper (retaining the original 5/- net price) has admirably fulfilled its protective duty but displays commensurate signs of age, presenting with standard edge-wear, rubbing to the panels, and minor chipping to the spine extremities and corners, alongside general dust-soiling and age-toning to the rear panel.

Catalogue Note: First Edition. This volume features a frontispiece photographic portrait of the author, confined to his bed near his home in Liphook. The text is accompanied by a thoughtful introduction by Wilfred Whitten, writing under his well-known pseudonym, John o' London.

While jacketless copies of Howcroft’s work occasionally appear on the open market, locating a true first edition that retains its original pictorial dust wrapper is notably scarce.

Written entirely from his sickbed, The Songs of a Broken Airman is the heartfelt and deeply moving poetic work of Jimmie Howcroft, a British airman who was tragically paralysed following a crash during the First World War. Confined to his bed with a broken spine, Howcroft turned to verse as a means of emotional expression and financial survival, aiming to raise enough funds to secure his future. His poetry captures both the physical agony of his confinement and the enduring, soaring spirit of a man who once navigated the skies, offering readers a profoundly personal window into the enduring human cost of the Great War.

Book Condition: Good

Book Authors: Jimmie Howcroft

Book Publisher: Hodder and Stoughton Limited

Book Language: English

Narrative Type: Antiquarian

Genre: Poetry

Book edition: First Edition

Signed: No

Book Pages: 42

Book Publication Year: 1923

Book Publication Date:

Book Binding: Hardcover

Illustrator: N/A

Book Series: N/A

Country/region of manufacture: Edinburgh, 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.