{"product_id":"the-true-history-of-robin-hood-j-w-walker-1st-edition","title":"The True History of Robin Hood, J. W. Walker — 1st Edition","description":"\u003cp\u003e\u003cb\u003ePublication:\u003c\/b\u003e Wakefield, The West Yorkshire Printing Company Limited, 1952\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cb\u003eFormatting:\u003c\/b\u003e 8vo, pp. xxi, 132, [4] plates.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cb\u003eCondition Report:\u003c\/b\u003e Very Good. The original green cloth boards remain structurally sound and firm, though they exhibit light shelf-wear, primarily presenting as mild bumping to the spine extremities and subtle rubbing along the edges. The gilt lettering stamped to the front board and spine remains remarkably bright and unoxidised. The binding is tight and square, showing no signs of weakness or leaning. Internally, the text block is exceptionally clean and bright; the pages are free from foxing or significant blemishes, with only a very faint, uniform age-toning to the text block edges consistent with the book's age. An attractive, well-preserved copy.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cb\u003eCatalogue Note:\u003c\/b\u003e This is the true first edition of J. W. Walker's rigorous historical inquiry into the Robin Hood legend, published locally in Wakefield by The West Yorkshire Printing Company in 1952. This true first printing precedes the much more common 1973 reprint issued by E.P. Publishing.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe volume is complemented by the work of illustrator Ethel W. Walker, complete with two maps, four black-and-white plates, and eleven in-text illustrations that visually anchor Walker's academic research.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eWhile the later 1970s reprints are readily encountered, the 1952 first edition is genuinely uncommon on the open market, especially in such a well-preserved state without significant wear or institutional markings, making this a desirable acquisition for dedicated collectors of British folklore and Yorkshire topography.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eIn \u003ci\u003eThe True History of Robin Hood\u003c\/i\u003e, esteemed antiquarian and historian J. W. Walker presents a meticulous investigation into the origins of England's most famous outlaw. Drawing extensively upon the Court Rolls of the Manor of Wakefield, the Contrariant Rolls, and Household Expense Accounts of Edward II, Walker attempts to ground the legend in historical reality, arguing that Robin Hood was a genuine 14th-century figure. Richly illustrated by Ethel W. Walker and dedicated to the Yorkshire Archæological and Wakefield Historical Societies, this detailed study remains a fascinating and foundational text for those captivated by the enduring lore of Barnsdale and Sherwood Forest, as well as the medieval history of Yorkshire.\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Broadhursts Books","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":54552086741331,"sku":"4973","price":24.99,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0960\/1469\/6787\/files\/20260731_001258.jpg?v=1786439415","url":"https:\/\/broadhurstsbooks.com\/products\/the-true-history-of-robin-hood-j-w-walker-1st-edition","provider":"Broadhursts Books","version":"1.0","type":"link"}