The Wisdom of the Sands, Antoine de Saint Exupéry — 1st English Edition

£115.00

The Wisdom of the Sands, Antoine de Saint Exupéry — 1st English Edition

Name: The Wisdom of the Sands, Antoine de Saint Exupéry — 1st English Edition
Brand: Broadhursts Books
SKU: 4197-RM-F-VG-3
Price: 115.00 GBP
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£115.00

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Publication: London, Hollis & Carter, 1952.

Formatting: 8vo, pp. xii, 350.

Condition Report: Near Fine. The book presents exceptionally well, bound in vibrant red cloth that remains rigid, sharp, and free from notable shelf-wear, with the spine's striking gilt tooling and lettering that is remarkably bright. Internally, the binding is tight and sound, opening smoothly without compromising the structural integrity of the text block. Pages remain incredibly clean overall, with only the faintest touches of age-toning (typical with the paper stock of the era) and is completely free from foxing or internal markings. Original dust jacket remains in excellent condition, unclipped and still displaying the original "21s. net" price, with beautifully preserved colours that remain vivid and unfaded. There is only the most microscopic rubbing to the extreme spine ends and corners, now fully protected and preserved in a removable clear archival sleeve.

Catalogue Note: First UK Edition represents the first English appearance of Antoine de Saint-Exupéry’s posthumous text Citadelle, seamlessly translated by Stuart GilbertThe volume is presented in its primary red cloth binding, complete with the original dust jacket.

The dust jacket features a highly attractive and stylised mid-century design by the artist Chadwick, showcasing a desert lily against a bold red and gold backdrop to perfectly capture the atmospheric themes of the text. The rear panel features an arresting photographic portrait of the author by Yvonne Chevalier.

As the author's most philosophical work, first editions of this title hold significant literary importance. Finding this edition with such brilliant, unrubbed gilt on the spine and a well-preserved, unclipped dust jacket is increasingly uncommon on the open market, making it a highly desirable acquisition for collectors of 20th-century literature and aviation authors.

Compiled and published posthumously, The Wisdom of the Sands (Citadelle) represents the final, deeply-felt summing-up of Antoine de Saint-Exupéry’s life and philosophy. Abandoning the traditional narrative structure of his earlier aviation classics, Saint-Exupéry writes in the voice of a desert prince ruling a vast, austere empire. Through parables, meditations, and lyrical reflections on duty, love, and the divine, the prince imparts his wisdom to his people. It is a profound, meditative exploration of humanity's place in the universe, using the harsh, beautiful isolation of the desert as a canvas for understanding the spiritual foundations of human existence.

Book Condition: Near Fine

Book Authors: Antoine de Saint Exupéry

Book Publisher: Hollis & Carter

Book Language: English

Narrative Type: Fiction

Genre: Classic Fiction

Book edition: First Edition

Signed: No

Book Pages: 350

Book Publication Year: 1952

Book Publication Date:

Book Binding: Hardcover (Cloth)

Illustrator: Chadwick (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.