VACHELL, Horace A. ~ Quinney’s Adventures.

FIRST UK PRINTING. John Murray, London: 1924.

8vo., blue publisher's cloth, lettered in black to upper board, and gilt to spine; with decorative borders to both; central decorative motif to upper cover; together in the pictorial dustwrapper by Philip Simmonds, priced 3/6 net to spine; author's woodblock device to title; THE BOOK a good plus copy, pushed at spine tips with a small dent to upper edge of lower board; endpapers lightly offset; foxing to outer edges and prelims, encroaching onto the first and last few pages, and a couple of spots sporadically throughout; light ownership name in purple ink to half title; the very good plus DUSTWRAPPER with a couple of small chips and nicks to edges, and a little more so to head of spine; a little shelf wear, but else in superior condition; discretely repaired internally with tape. The wrapper is protected in a removable Brodart archival cover. First UK edition, first printing. Horace Annesley Vachell (1861 – 1955) was a prolific writer of novels, plays, and essays, beginning with 'A Drama in Sunshine' (1898) and ending with 'Averil' in 1945. Educated at Harrow and Sandhurst, Vachell later traveled to America, where he married, became a partner in a land company, and is often credited with introducing the game of Polo to Southern California. Returning to England at the turn of the century, Vachell began to write, mostly inspired by his early life and friendships at Harrow, one of the most popular being 'The Hill' (1905) which explores themes of friendship, youth and identity whilst boarding at the prestigious English school. Vachell also penned a number of successful plays, of which Lord Camber's Ladies (1932) was adapted into film by Alfred Hitchcock. In 1914, he produced the comedy-drama play 'Quinneys', which became one of his most successful works. Following the exploits of Joseph Quinney, an endearing but stubborn patriarch of a family of antiques dealers, it led to a series of novels following the family's adventures, of which this is one such example. Often compared with John Galsworthy for his quintessentially British writing, his works remain little-known today, though early copies such as this are considerably scarce in the dustwrapper.

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