Scarce with the wrapper so fine
Heyer, Georgette ~ Royal Escape
First UK Printing : William Heinemann Ltd., London : 1938
8vo., red publisher’s boards embossed to upper with author’s initials to lower corner; and publisher’s device to lower; ruled and lettered in gilt along backstrip; in the very scarce pictorial dust wrapper showing a couple on a white horse; priced 8s. 6d. net to front flap; THE BOOK with a few light marks to boards; text block evenly toned with spotting to the edges, extending to the text in a handful of pages, especially the prelims and last few pages; the exceptional WRAPPER near-fine, and seldom found in such collectible condition; the wrap-around image to the front panel and spine bright and colourful; just some light rubbing and a couple of small nicks to the spine ends and flap folds; spotted to verso. The Youngman Carter wrapper artwork looks striking in the removable Brodart archival cover. First UK printing of Heyer’s historical novel, set in 1651 during the English commonwealth. A prolific writer, predominantly of Regency and Georgian fiction, Heyer is widely credited with being the founder of the Historical Romance genre. In 1931 she had published The Conqueror, the first of her works to give a fictionalised account of real historical events. Royal Escape followed just a few years later, and tells the story of King Charles II’s escape from England after the defeat of the Royalists against Oliver Cromwell’s New Model Army. Heyer began writing the novel in the Spring of 1938, amidst growing tensions about the imminently looming war in Europe. It was perhaps unsurprising that Royal Escape, along with the other two historical novels she would publish over the coming years, had a nationalistic focus, and favoured Britain and its monarchy. During her ensuing research, she visited every house and inn at which Charles had rested or hidden during his perilous flight to France. In April she ended a hasty letter with: “No time for more. On the road to White-Ladies, & the dawn at hand.” It was to White-Ladies Priory that Charles II had been guided after the Royalist defeat and where he had been sheltered after the battle. Extremely scarce with the wrapper in such collectible condition.
BINDING: Hardcover
CONDITION: Very Good++
JACKET: Near Fine
£550