Catalogue of an Exhibition of Paintings, Pastels, Drawings and Woodcuts illustrating Col. T. E. Lawrence's Book "Seven Pillars of Wisdom." With Prefaces by Bernard Shaw and T. E. Lawrence
London: Ernest Brown & Phillips, The Leicester Galleries, Leicester Square, February 5-21st, 1927. First Edition. Card Covers. A superb copy of the rare First Printing of this catalog of art works (later printings are noted at top of front wrapper) accompanying Lawrence's account of his legendary part in the Arab rebellion against the Ottoman Empire during the First World War. Foolscap 8vo (144 x 110mm): 28pp, with 2 full-page photographs on coated paper (Eric Kennington's bust of Lawrence and Augustus John's portrait of "H. M. King Feysal of Irak"). Wire-stitched in original dark beige card wrappers. Trivial nick to leading edge of upper wrapper, else pristine. O'Brien A099. Fine. Item #BB2583
Catalogue of an exhibition of 81 items. The preface Lawrence contributed to the 1921 exhibition catalogue of Arab Portraits by Kennington, with the first three paragraphs omitted, was repurposed for this 1927 catalogue. George Bernard Shaw also contributed a preface "saying more about Lawrence than he did about the exhibition." (O'Brien) Lawrence sat for the modeling of Kennington's bust in November and December of 1926. In a letter to Kennington dated 15 February 1927, the month of the Leicester Galleries exhibition, Lawrence expressed his admiration for the sculpture: "It's amazing: and very curious . . . It represents not me, but my top-moments, those few seconds in which I succeed in thinking myself right out of things . . ." (The Letters of T. E. Lawrence, London, 1938, pp. 507-508). N. B. With few exceptions (always identified), we only stock books in exceptional condition, with dust jackets carefully preserved in archival, removable mylar sleeves. All orders are packaged with care and posted promptly. Satisfaction guaranteed. (Fine Editions Ltd is a member of the Independent Online Booksellers Association, and we subscribe to its codes of ethics.).
Price: $964.00