COMPLETE SEVEN-VOLUME COLLECTION OF FIRST EDITIONS OF CHURCHILL'S WWII SPEECHES, 1941-46

CHURCHILL, Winston S. Collection of World War II speeches: Into Battle; The Unrelenting Struggle; The End of the Beginning; Onwards to Victory; The Dawn of Liberation; Victory; Secret Session Speeches. London: Cassell, (1941-46). Together, seven volumes. Octavo, original cloth, original dust jackets. $2800.

First editions of Churchill's separately published World War II speeches, in original dust jackets.

Churchill's war speeches, published between 1941 and 1946, "constitute a contemporary history of the war which is as lively as it is authoritative; and, so far as contemporary history is of value, they may be said to be the last word upon the war" (Randolph S. Churchill). With 50 half-tone photographic plates, including frontispieces. Into Battle first state, with page number "78" absent. The Unrelenting Struggle first state, with page number "281" irregular; in first printing dust jacket referring to the "Eighth Edition" of Into Battle on the front flap. Victory first state, with page number "177" printed "77." Secret Session Speeches first English edition, preceded by the American edition. Dust jackets price-clipped on Into Battle and End of the Beginning. Cohen A142.1.b; A172.1.b; A183.1.a; A194.1.a; A214.1.a; A223.1.b; A227.2.a. Bookplates in Into Battle and Unrelenting Struggle; owner signature in Victory.

Front inner hinge of The Unrelenting Struggle expertly reinforced, some foxing, most notably to text block edges and endpapers of a few volumes; cloth of Into Battle discolored, spine toned. Dust jackets showing some edge-wear and soiling, chips along upper edge of Into Battle, shallow wear to spine ends and extremities of remaining volumes. Overall, a just about very good set, scarce in original cloth and dust jackets.