Eric Kennington’s Britain’s Home Guard, Presented to Sir Charles Portal
Language: English
Published by George G. Harrap and Co. Ltd, London, 1945
- First Edition
- Hardcover
- Used
Seller: Arch Books, London, United KingdomArch Books
AbeBooks seller since January 18, 2023
Condition: Used - Very good
£ 1,250.00
Quantity: 1 available
Add to basketItem description from seller
BROPHY, John. Britain’s Home Guard: A Character Study. Portrayed in colour by Eric Kennington. With a foreword by Sir James Grigg. London: George G. Harrap and Co. Ltd., 1945. First edition, first impression, in the original dust jacket, inscribed by the artist on the front free endpaper: “To Sir Charles Portal from Eric Kennington 1945.” A superb high-command presentation copy, linking one of Britain’s greatest war artists with the wartime Chief of the Air Staff. Eric Kennington had been an official war artist in both world wars, renowned for his forceful portraits of servicemen and civilians under strain. His Second World War work included RAF portraits and Home Guard subjects, and the Imperial War Museum holds his Members of a Home Guard Ack-Ack Gun Team, September 1943. This book is Kennington’s visual tribute to the men of the Home Guard: part-time soldiers, factory workers, clerks, veterans, miners, coast defence gunners, searchlight men and anti-aircraft crews, portrayed not as comic amateurs but as a citizen army. John Brophy was himself a soldier-writer and served in the Home Guard during the Second World War, making the text more than detached commentary. The Portal association is exceptional. In 1945 Sir Charles Portal stood at the summit of British air power, and Kennington’s presentation to him brings together the air war and the home front: the commander of the RAF receiving an artist’s record of the civilian defence force that guarded Britain’s towns, factories, coasts and anti-aircraft positions while the RAF fought overhead. The inscription turns a scarce illustrated Home Guard book into a direct wartime association copy. Original red cloth, with colour frontispiece and full-page colour portraits by Kennington. Dust jacket with light chipping, edge wear, small closed tears, creasing and minor marking, but complete and highly presentable. Contents clean and bright. A very good copy with a magnificent presentation association.…
Seller Inventory # ABE-1778745534519
Bibliographic details
- Title
- Eric Kennington’s Britain’s Home Guard, Presented to Sir Charles Portal
- Author
- BROPHY, John
- Publisher
- George G. Harrap and Co. Ltd, London
- Publication year
- 1945
- Condition
- Very good
- 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 |
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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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You have the right to withdraw from this contract within 14 days without giving any reason.
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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).
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