The Humourist.
A Collection of Entertaining Tales, Anecdotes, Epigrams, &c.
London: John C. Nimmo, 1892 Stock Code: 74440
First thus, number 251 of an edition of 260. This presented to Harold Nicolson by Horace Rumbold in 1929, inked inscription to the first blank of volume I. Nicolson had served under Rumbold twice, the second occasion being in Berlin 1928, Nicolson resigned from the diplomatic service in September, 1929, and Rumbold retired in 1933. Nicolson described Rumbold in the following terms; "The eye-glass in his eye, the vagueness of response, even the half-opened mouth indicated an attitude of mind which the English could recognise as post-Etonian but which the unwary foreigner sometimes mistook for lack of alertness he had merely trained himself to appear more English than any Englishman had ever seemed before. And if his manner ever misled a foreigner into underrating his intelligence, that foreigner was quickly disabused" (quoted in ODNB). An excellent association copy.
Description
4 volumes octavo (194 x 142 mm) Early 20th-century tan half morocco on matching linen boards by Bayntun, title gilt to spines, raised bands, French fillet panels to the compartments, single gilt rule spine and corner edges, top edges gilt, others uncut, marbled endpapers.
Illustrations
Hand-coloured frontispiece, title-page vignette and 8 plates to each volume.
Condition
A little rubbed at the extremities, head-caps chipping, minor repairs to volumes 1 & 2 but remains a pretty enough set.
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