Books

First editions, first impressions. Churchill's biography of the first Duke of Marlborough, his ancestor who led Allied forces to victory against Louis XIV, "took its place at once among the classics of historical writing. As the story of his ancestor's leadership of a grand alliance to prevent the domination of the continent by a single power, it was also a source of inspiration to Churchill in his campaign against appeasement" (ODNB). Four vols, large octavo. Original purple cloth, spines lettered in gilt, Marlborough crest gilt to front covers, top edges gilt. With dust jackets. Portrait frontispiece to each vol., 99 additional plates, 14 facsimiles of letters, 182 maps and plans, several folding. Later ownership signature to front free endpaper of vols. I and III, contemporary ownership label to front free endpaper of vol. IV. Cloth bright and contents clean, volume I with split in hinge preceding title page; jackets with light wear at extremities, spine panels sunned, a little soiled, slight split at foot of jacket of vol. I, prices intact. A near-fine set in very good jackets. Cohen A97.2(I-IV).a; Langworth pp. 166-8; Woods A40(a).

Marlborough: His Life and Times is a comprehensive biography of John Churchill, 1st Duke of Marlborough, written by Winston Churchill. The work details the Duke's military campaigns and personal life.