A Diary with Letters 1931-1950 - Lord Portal’s Signed Copy
Language: English
Published by Oxford University Press, Oxford, 1954
- First Edition
- Hardcover
- Used





Seller: Arch Books, London, United KingdomArch Books
AbeBooks seller since January 18, 2023
Condition: Used - Near fine
£ 300.00
Quantity: 1 available
Add to basketItem description from seller
JONES, Thomas. A Diary with Letters 1931-1950. London: Oxford University Press, 1954. First edition. Thomas Jones, C.H., was one of the most discreetly influential figures in twentieth-century British public life. A Welsh educationalist, civil servant and confidant of prime ministers, he served as Deputy Secretary to the Cabinet from 1916 to 1930, working closely with Lloyd George, Bonar Law, Stanley Baldwin and Ramsay MacDonald. His diaries and letters are valued for their unusually intimate view of Whitehall, Cabinet government, interwar politics, appeasement, war and the remaking of Britain after 1945. Octavo, first edition, first impression. original brown cloth gilt, portrait frontispiece, 582 pp., in the original dust jacket. Signed “Portal” on the front free endpaper, from the private collection of Marshal of the Royal Air Force Lord Portal of Hungerford. Lord Portal belonged to the same high world of British public service and national decision-making. A decorated First World War airman, he rose to become Marshal of the Royal Air Force and Chief of the Air Staff during the Second World War, standing at the centre of Britain’s wartime air strategy. In this copy, Jones’s private record of the political and administrative machinery of government is preserved in the library of one of the senior commanders shaped by that world. A notable Whitehall and wartime association: the reflections of a Cabinet insider, owned by Britain’s wartime air chief. The dust jacket is a little rubbed and chipped to the edges and spine ends, with some soiling to the rear panel; the cloth remains clean and the contents are sound.…
Seller Inventory # ABE-1780400615883
Bibliographic details
- Title
- A Diary with Letters 1931-1950 - Lord Portal’s Signed Copy
- Author
- JONES, Thomas.
- Publisher
- Oxford University Press, Oxford
- Publication year
- 1954
- Condition
- Near fine
- Dust jacket
- Very Good
- Signed
- Signed by Illustrator(s)
- Binding
- Hardcover
- Language
- English
- Edition
- 1st Edition
- Printing
- 1st Printing
Arch Books
London, United Kingdom
AbeBooks seller since January 18, 2023
Shipping rates from United Kingdom to U.S.A.
| Item | 7 to 12 business days | 2 to 3 business days |
|---|---|---|
| First item | £ 22.00 | £ 30.00 |
Payment methods
- Bank Wire Transfer
- Cash
Store description
Arch Books is a specialist rare book business based in Richmond, London, dealing in first editions, fine bindings, travel and exploration books, illustrated books, military history, historical documents, and antique prints. We help private collectors, interior designers, gift buyers, and institutions source distinctive works on paper, with particular emphasis on condition, provenance, bibliographic accuracy, and presentation. Founded in 2020 by Guy Nathan, his own interest in collecting works on paper began in 2005, following a visit to the Grosvenor House Art & Antiques Fair with his grandmother, Pauline Willes, herself a passionate collector. That experience ignited a lifelong fascination with historical documents, art, scientific illustration, military ephemera and literature. For someone with a deep interest in history, collecting offered a particularly tangible way to understand the past - not simply through the events themselves, but through the objects, images and words by which they were recorded and experienced at the time. Whether a scientific drawing, a piece of military ephemera or a work of literature, each provides its own direct connection to a particular moment in history. The thrill of holding a first edition of Shackleton’s South, for instance, lies in that sense of immediacy: experiencing the book much as its first readers did in 1919, and encountering his extraordinary story through the same pages that introduced it to the world. Website: https://www.archbooks.co.uk Enquiries: guy@archbooks.co.uk Member of the Provincial Booksellers Fairs Association (PBFA)…
Specialty
Fine Bindings, Antique Prints & Rare BooksSeller's business information
Arch Books
United Kingdom
Welcome to Arch Rare Books & Antique Prints
My own interest in collecting works on paper began in 2005. A visit to the Grosvenor House Art & Antiques Fair in 2005, with my grandmother, Pauline Willes, a passionate collector, was the experience that ignited my lifelong fascination with historical documents, art, scientific illustrations, military ephemera, and literature. My love of history made this a fantastic way to learn more about the history of events and how they were documented, whether through art, scientific drawings, military ephemera, or literature of the time. The thrill of holding a first edition of Shackleton's South, for instance, is the thrill of experiencing history firsthand, retracing the steps of those who first encountered his incredible story in 1919.
My family history has profoundly shaped my interests. From my great-grandfather, Vyse Millard, an infantry officer wounded at Ypres in 1915 who later earned a Distinguished Flying Cross with the Royal Flying Corps in North Africa, to my grandfather, Archie Nathan, who led the renowned costumiers L&H Nathans—suppliers to the Royal Family from the reign of Queen Victoria onwards, the Royal Households of Europe, and countless theatrical and film productions.
L&H Nathan's contributions extended beyond the stage. Following my grandfather's World War I service in North Africa, the company, under MI9's guidance, provided specialised clothing for SOE agents operating in occupied Europe during World War II. Some amazing historical keepsakes remain, including original letters from Charles Dickens, childhood drawings by Princess Elizabeth (later Queen Elizabeth II) and Princess Margaret, and theatre programmes for plays held at Osborne House during the reign of Queen Victoria, which are still held by the wider family.
The historical items showcased on this site, many from my own collection, reflect a deep personal interest in the past.
It was this interest that led to the creation of Arch Rare Books and Antique Prints (Arch Books) in 2020.
Guy, February 2025
Terms of sale
Please visit our website at https://www.archbooks.co.uk/ or email us at guy@archbooks.co.uk
Discover a treasure trove of rare books and antique prints at Arch Books. We specialise in obtaining exceptional printed items, meticulously researched and authenticated. We offer a diverse collection spanning centuries and genres. Explore landmark works of literature, science, philosophy, and travel, alongside captivating antique prints and unique ephemera. From classic children's books and historical documents to niche collectibles like early photography and botanical prints, we offer a wide range of rare and fascinating pieces for collectors and enthusiasts alike.
Member of the PFBA (Provincial Booksellers Fairs Association)
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If you are a consumer you can withdraw from the contract in accordance with the following. Consumer means any natural person who is acting for purposes which are outside his trade, business, craft or profession.
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You have the right to withdraw from this contract within 14 days without giving any reason.
The withdrawal period will expire after 14 days from the day on which you acquire, or a third party other than the carrier and indicated by you acquires, physical possession of the last good or the last lot or piece.
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Effects of withdrawal
If you withdraw from this contract, we will reimburse to you all payments received from you, including the costs of delivery (except for the supplementary costs arising if you chose a type of delivery other than the least expensive type of standard delivery offered by us).
We may make a deduction from the reimbursement for loss in value of any goods supplied, if the loss is the result of unnecessary handling by you.
We will make the reimbursement without undue delay, and not later than 14 days after the day on which we are informed about your decision to withdraw from this contract.
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You shall send back the goods or hand them over to Arch Books, London, LONDO, United Kingdom, without undue delay and in any event not later than 14 days from the day on which you communicate your withdrawal from this contract to us. The deadline is met if you send back the goods before the period of 14 days has expired. You will have to bear the direct cost of returning the goods. You are only liable for any diminished value of the goods resulting from the handling other than what is necessary to establish the nature, characteristics and functioning of the goods.
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