VIOLET TO VITA - The Letters of Violet Trefusis to Vita Sackville-West, 1910-21 (First edition - first printing)

Violet Trefusis (Edited by Mitchell A. Leaska, John Phillips)

ISBN 10: 0413620808 / ISBN 13: 9780413620804

Published by Methuen, London, 1989

About this Item

A first edition - first printing of 'Violet to Vita', published by Methuen in 1989. With 8pp of black & white photographs at the centre of the book. ***Near fine in black cloth-covered boards with gilt titles to the spine. The gilt is still beautifully bright. The boards are clean and unmarked. There is a crease at the top of the spine, but no other bumps or creases. Corners sharp. No reading lean to the binding. No reading creases to the spine. Spine tight. Page block edges largely clean, but with some light foxing to the fore-edge. Internally also near fine with no inscriptions. Pages clean with no foxing. No creases or tears. The paper used for this production is of a nice quality but has tanned lightly. ***In a near fine illustrated dustwrapper, which retains the original publisher's printed price of £16.99 net. The dustwrapper is complete with no obvious faults, apart from some creasing at the top of the spine. No chips or tears. Just very light rubbing to the extremities. No fading. Dustwrapper bright. ***242mm x 160mm. 303 pages including a detailed Index at the back of the book. ***'Violet Trefusis (née Keppel; 6 June 1894 - 29 February 1972) was an English socialite and author. She is chiefly remembered for her lengthy affair with the writer Vita Sackville-West that both women continued after their respective marriages. It was featured in novels by both parties; in Virginia Woolf's novel "Orlando: A Biography"; and in many letters and memoirs of the period roughly from 1912 to 1922. She may have been the inspiration for aspects of the character Lady Montdore in Nancy Mitford's "Love in a Cold Climate" and of Muriel in Harold Acton's "The Soul's Gymnasium" (1982). Trefusis herself wrote many novels, as well as non-fiction works, both in English and in French. Although some of her books sold well, others went unpublished, and her overall critical heritage remains lukewarm.' (Wiki) ***'The passionate love affair between Violet Trefusis and Vita Sackville-West, first disclosed in "Portrait of a Marriage" by Vita's son Nigel Nicolson, ended in 1921 with their forcible separation and return to their respective husbands and families. The two women would rarely meet again, though the love was never to be forgotten. From their childhood friendship, through the dramatic years of 1918 to 1921 when the lovers made a series of escapes to live out a dream life of Bohemian freedom together abroad, they wrote to each other constantly. Vita's letters from this time were destroyed by Violet's husband, Denys Trefusis, but those from Violet were preserved by Vita, to be discovered after her death in 1962. Now, seventeen years after Violet's own death in 1972, these remarkable letters are published in their entirety for the first time---.' (Quote taken from the front flap of the dustwrapper) ***First printing of the true first edition in near fine condition - albeit with a crease at the top of the spine. ***For all our books, postage is charged at cost, allowing for packaging: any shipping rates indicated on ABE are an average only: we will reduce the P & P charge where appropriate - please contact us for postal rates for heavier books and sets etc.

Seller Inventory # 9304

Bibliographic Details

• Title: VIOLET TO VITA - The Letters of Violet Trefusis to Vita Sackville-West, 1910-21 (First edition - first printing)
• Publisher: Methuen, London
• Publication Date: 1989
• Language: English
• ISBN 10: 0413620808
• ISBN 13: 9780413620804
• Binding: Hardcover
• Edition: First Edition
• Condition: Near Fine
• Dust Jacket Condition: Near Fine
• Seller catalogs:
  • Literature
  • First Editions
  • Bloomsbury Authors

About this title

Synopsis

The passionate love affair between Violet Trefusis and Vita Sackville-West ended in 1921 with their forced separation and return to their respective husbands and families. This collection of Violet's letters explores her part in the affair and provides details of the other principals involved.