“ONE OF THE MOST BRILLIANT TREATISES ON WAR THAT HAS EVER BEEN WRITTEN”: THE WORLD CRISIS, FULL FIRST EDITION SET IN ORIGINAL CLOTH, SIGNED BY CHURCHILL IN VOLUME I AND INITIALED BY HIM IN VOLUMES II–VI

CHURCHILL, Winston. The World Crisis. London: Thornton Butterworth, (1923-31). Six volumes. Octavo, original navy cloth.

First English editions of Churchill’s important history of World War I, signed by him in Volume I and initialed by him in the other five volumes. “Not only the best account of the most tremendous convulsion the world has ever seen, but one of the most brilliant treatises on war that has ever been written” (Spectator).

During WWI, Churchill served variously as the head of the British Navy, Minister for Munitions, and as a foot soldier in the trenches. The World Crisis offers his first-hand account of the British government’s massive efforts to win the war, and depicts the political events that would serve as object lessons for Churchill when WWII broke out. Illustrated with numerous maps (many folding), charts, facsimiles, photographs, and a large folding colored map at rear of last volume. Preceded by the American editions, although “the English is more aesthetically desirable… equipped with shoulder notes on each page which summarize the subject of that page… It is more popular among collectors who wish to own only one edition” (Langworth, 108). With all errata slips as called for in Woods. Without front free endpaper to Volume VI; Churchill has initialed the half-title rather than the front free endpaper, indicating that it had already been torn out. Cohen A69.2. Woods A31(a). Langworth, 105-108. Bookplates of Roger Moreton Frewen (1914-1972), nephew of sculptor Clare Frewen Sheridan, cousin of Winston Churchill. Clare Sheridan went on to cast one of the best known bronze busts of Churchill, although her support for the October Revolution had caused them to break ranks politically in the 1920s.

Only occasional scattered light foxing to interiors and fore edges. Light rubbing to extremities of bright publisher’s cloth; rear board of Volume VI discolored. Expert repair to spine head of Volume II. An extremely good copy of this increasingly scarce Churchill title, with excellent provenance and most scarce signed and initialed.