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E. E. "Doc" Smith. The History of Civilization: Triplanetary, First Lensman, Galactic Patrol, Gray Lensman, Second Stage Lensmen, Children of the Lens. Special six-volume set in the publisher's rare original red cardboard box. Here is #45 of 75 sets of six volumes all signed and numbered by "Doc" Smith on a limitation page bound into each volume, and with Volume 1 warmly inscribed to "my friend of old Sandy Charnoff." [early SF fan and Zine contributor]. Publisher's original reddish-brown leather over maroon cloth, gilt stamped spine, top edge stained red, and each with a frontispiece and chapter heads by either A.J. Donnell or Ric Binkley. Each volume with original thick transparent plastic dust jackets, rarely seen on the books and housed in original fragile red cardboard box with lid! As New set in Very Fine jackets and with a Fair/Good box. All of the volumes are "As New", absolutely beautiful with not even any edge wear, tight spines, only gently opened to view limitation page, obviously never fully opened, with white pages. Transparent plastic jackets are present without tears, and still clear, no yellowing. Box has wear, heavy at some edges, lid is present!, but one edge detached, and two others folded over. Repairable. Personal Notes: This is the third and last set my father and I owned, the 1st had no box or plastic jackets, the second has those, but no lid. This is the only set I have ever seen that has a lid. I store the books separately the box and will ship that way as well.this also helps keep the plastic jackets from tearing at the crown when being pulled out. Also there are certainly many less than 75 of these remaining, as I have seen numerous singletons/orphans over the years. Please contact me for more images. "Printed by Eshbach from original plates on fine linen weave paper.then bound in red half-leather with a special autograph page, all signed by the author and numbered, 60 presold before publication and inscribed to specific people, three were bound in full blue leather, one for Smith (now owned by his daughter) and two still held by Eshbach; the other 12 not resold were sold to old friends and collectors, the last one at the 1962 World SF Convention in Chicago.The box was indeed a box, not a traycase or slipcase; although form-fitting and matching (albeit in cardboard, not buckram), it actually had a shoebox-like lid. Only three sets with a lid in tact are known. Copies had thick transparent plastic jackets without imprinting so the books show through.Many sets today lack the box, or plastic, or both (the plastic discolored if shelved in sunlight for years, so many owners remove them and lose them; the books remain fine, better if the plastic's left on even if it is ugly.A legend in specialty publishing and fine bookmaking. A collector's dream.One of those specialty press productions that causes awe for many contemporary collectors." (Chalker).
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