The Mint - A day-book of the R.A.F. Depot between August and December 1922 with later notes by 352087 A/c Ross. -
T. E. Lawrence
1955 - Jonathan Cape, London - First and Limited Edition
‘It is hereby approved that Colonel T. E. Lawrence be permitted to join the Royal Air Force as an aircraft hand under the alias of John Hume Ross’ - Chief of Air Staff, Sir Hugh Trenchard.
‘Scribbling detailed notes almost daily, recording every sensation from listening ot the night noises in the barrack-room to coping with the Monday morning shit-card, he carved out of his R.A.F. experiences a book picturing low-life from within that has been bracketed with works by such writers as Dostoyevsky, Orwell or Solzhenitsyn. Lawrence instructed in his will that ‘The Mint’ should not be published before 1950.’
This is copy number 614 of the limited edition of 2,000 copies, leather bound and oversubscribed at 3 1/2 guineas, which contained all the Uxbridge Depot ‘gros mots’ (’foul talk’) that were removed from the shorter trade edition. This copy also includes two detailed and informative press reviews from February 1955. Interestingly, Lawrence (under the alias of John Hume Ross) was sent away to get a reference from his last employer after his recruiting officer, Captain W. E. Johns, the author of the famous Biggles books, thought him suspicious and checked Lawrence’s face with photographs of wanted criminals issued by Scotland Yard.
Reference: Brown. Knightley/Simpson.
Quarto (book size 26.2x20.8cm), pp. [4] 206 [2]. Bound in publisher s quarter blue pigskin over matching buckram boards, spine lettered in gilt, top edge gilt others untrimmed, marbled endpapers. Condition: Fine in near fine binding with some marking to cloth and wear to corners. Ref: 112235 Price: HK$ 1,500
‘Scribbling detailed notes almost daily, recording every sensation from listening ot the night noises in the barrack-room to coping with the Monday morning shit-card, he carved out of his R.A.F. experiences a book picturing low-life from within that has been bracketed with works by such writers as Dostoyevsky, Orwell or Solzhenitsyn. Lawrence instructed in his will that ‘The Mint’ should not be published before 1950.’
This is copy number 614 of the limited edition of 2,000 copies, leather bound and oversubscribed at 3 1/2 guineas, which contained all the Uxbridge Depot ‘gros mots’ (’foul talk’) that were removed from the shorter trade edition. This copy also includes two detailed and informative press reviews from February 1955. Interestingly, Lawrence (under the alias of John Hume Ross) was sent away to get a reference from his last employer after his recruiting officer, Captain W. E. Johns, the author of the famous Biggles books, thought him suspicious and checked Lawrence’s face with photographs of wanted criminals issued by Scotland Yard.
Reference: Brown. Knightley/Simpson.
Quarto (book size 26.2x20.8cm), pp. [4] 206 [2]. Bound in publisher s quarter blue pigskin over matching buckram boards, spine lettered in gilt, top edge gilt others untrimmed, marbled endpapers. Condition: Fine in near fine binding with some marking to cloth and wear to corners. Ref: 112235 Price: HK$ 1,500