Seldom found in this condition and with the wraparound band

Murray. D. L. ~ Tale of Three Cities – A Novel in Baroque : Wrapper Design And Illustrations By Bip Pares : With The ‘Recommended By The Book Society’ Wraparound Band

First UK Printing : Hodder and Stoughton Limited, London : 1940

The First UK Printing published by Hodder and Stoughton Limited, London in 1940. Thick 8vo., bright red boards lettered and lined in black to upper cover and spine; complete in both the illustrated wrapper by Bip Pares, and the rare 'Recommended By The Book Society' wraparound BAND ; with 5 full-page black and white illustrations by Pares to begin each ‘Book’ heading; The BOOK with some minor pushing to the spine, offsetting to paste downs and spotting to the outer edge of the text block and prelims; else a Very Good++ copy in the vivd WRAPPER which is in Very Good++ condition. Some faint spotting, particularly to the lower panel; a little rubbed, particularly at the spine tips; and with some creasing to the upper edge of the front panel (one small closed tear); Light toning to the spine. The wrapper is very striking in the removable Brodart archival cover. First UK edition of this Historical Romance, set during the Franco-Prussian War. A weighty tome covering some 640 pages, Murray’s plot follows Deodato, a foundling, who escapes the religious order to which he had been assigned in order to pursue his love of sculpture, and incidentally the beautiful Ludovica, in whom he sees the likeness of Bernini’s most famous sculpture. He follows a devious trail, with the protection of Napoleon III discovering his father's identity, as well as becoming embroiled in political intrigue. The book was in its sixth reprinting by 1948. The illustrator Ethel ‘Bip’ Pares created some of the most eye-catching designs of the nineteen-thirties and forties. Striking in particular for their use of colour, books which carry her dust wrappers are highly collectible, and it is said that she designed almost 600 during the course of her career. A cheap wartime production. This example is particularly charming, and seldom found with the wraparound band.

BINDING: Hardcover
CONDITION: Very Good++
JACKET: Very Good++