The King's England - Monmouthshire - A Green And Smiling Land (First Edition - First Printing, In The Original Dustwrapper) Arthur Mee (Edited By) History & Military,Illustrated

First printing of the true first edition, in a nicely preserved dustwrapper. With 92 fine gravure illustrations. One of 43 volumes in the series, and published in February 1951 (just a year before King George VI died). Completed by T. E. C. Walker and Sydney Warner after the death of Arthur Mee. ***Very good in red cloth-covered boards with black titles on the spine and front board. The boards are beautifully clean and unmarked. No bumps or creasing except for a slight creasing to the top and tail of the spine. Corners sharp. No reading lean to the binding. Spine tight. The page block edges are lightly foxed. Top edge stained red by the publisher to match the boards. Internally also very good with no previous ownership marks. The pages are clean, but there is some internal foxing. No creases or tears. ***In a very good printed dustwrapper in the series style, which retains the original publisher's printed price of 12/6 net at the bottom corner of the front flap. The dustwrapper is virtually complete, with just some slight loss at the top and bottom edges of the spine. The edges of the dustwrapper are slightly rubbed, nicked and creased. No serious creases, chips or tears. The white back panel of the dustwrapper is very clean - just slightly foxed. (please see scans) ***204mm x 144mm. 177 pages including an index of Monmouthshire towns and villages, a map, and a general index at the back of the book. ***'The King's England is a topographical and historical book series written and edited by Arthur Mee in 43 volumes. The first, introductory, volume was published in 1936 by Hodder & Stoughton; in 1989, The King's England Press was established to reprint the series. It was said that the series was a modern Domesday Book and that the compilers had travelled half-a-million miles in order to complete their task. The vast majority of the content is a description of churches and associated local worthies.' (Wiki) ***'"This is English, this is ours" - the most complete picture of a country ever presented to its people A remarkable event has been going on quietly and unguessed at for many years in our countryside. There has been nothing like it before; it is the first census of the ancient and beautiful and curious and historic possessions of england since the motor-car came to make it possible. It is a book of every town and city, every great and valuable place, and of ten thousand villages. It takes us to them and shows us what is in them. It opens ten thousand doors for us in the richest countryside on earth. We see our famous people where they lived and worked. We challenge comparison with any book existing for the contents of the King's england volumes. There has never been such a book of journeys before. It will infom and entertain oyu wherever you go. It will tell you what there is to see and all about it. It is the indispensable companion of the Motor Age.' (Quote taken from the back panel of the dustwrapper). ***First printing of the true first edition, in a very nicely preserved dustwrapper. A beautiful copy, with 92 fine gravure illustrations. 'Monmouthshire' is the scarcest title in the series, and collectable in first printing in the dustwrapper. ***For all our books, postage is charged at cost, allowing for packaging: any shipping rates indicated on ABE are an average only: we will reduce the P & P charge where appropriate - please contact us for postal rates for heavier books and sets etc.