Available Copies from Independent Booksellers
Winston S. Churchill. The Unwritten Alliance. Cassell & Company Ltd., London, 1961.
Price: US$90.00 + shipping
Description: This is a jacketed copy of the fifth and final volume of Churchill's postwar speech volumes. There was no U.S. edition for this volume and the British first edition was limited to a single printing of 5,000 copies. Moreover, dust jackets for The Unwritten Alliance were notoriously poorly printed, and consequently are almost always rubbed or streaked, with orange showing through the black background. This copy we grade as only good in a good dust jacket despite excellent shelf presentation. This copy juxtaposes an interesting mix of conspicuous strengths and flaws. The red cloth binding remains square, clean, bright, and tight with vivid spine gilt and sharp corners. Unfortunately, there are two vertical tape residue stains on each cover, almost certainly owing to a previous dust jacket protector. The contents show no spotting and no previous ownership names, but nonetheless suffer vertical tape stains from the aforementioned jacket protector on each pastedown and facing front free endpaper, as well the further injury of a gutter reinforcement at the rear pastedown and a large adhesive scar on the rear free endpaper verso. We would attribute the scar to removal of a library card pocket if not for the total absence of any other ex-library markings of any kind. The dust jacket is equally a study in contrast. Dust jackets for The Unwritten Alliance were notoriously poorly printed, and consequently are almost always rubbed or streaked, with orange showing through the black background. This jacket is bright and clean with none of the typical streaking. Moreover, apart from a neatly price-clipped lower front flap, this jacket is complete. Shelf presentation is excellent for the edition, the leaf borders at the spine ends nearly perfect and with only a little scuffing adjacent to the lower front hinge. Regrettably, there is browning from old cello tape. A horizontal band across the lower spine extending to the white rear panel shows only on the white rear panel, but tape browning is more prominent along the vertical edges of both inner flaps. The dust jacket is protected beneath a clear, removable, archival cover. The Unwritten Alliance includes 70 speeches delivered by Churchill between 30 January 1953 and 31 October 1959. These speeches span the end of Churchill's second and final term as Prime Minister (1951-1955) and the twilight of his long life and public career. The period coincides with Churchills 1953 receipt of the Nobel Prize in Literature, in part " for brilliant oratory in defending exalted human values." The bulk of the speeches in The Unwritten Alliance - 43 of 70 and 250 of 332 pages - take place during Churchill's premiership. In this final volume of his speeches published during his lifetime, Churchill passes "into a living national memorial" of the time he has lived and the Nation, Empire, and free world he has served. The Unwritten Alliance takes its name specifically from Churchill's 8 June 1954 speech and more generally from the "special relationship" between Britain and the United States, which had endured postwar disagreements. The editor, Winstons son Randolph, wrote in his introduction to the volume that the title was "justified by the number of speeches which dwell on the paramount necessity of Anglo-American friendship." Reference: Cohen A273, Woods/ICS A142, Langworth p.338.
Seller: Churchill Book Collector ABAA/ILAB/IOBA, San Diego, CA, U.S.A.
Winston S. Churchill. The Unwritten Alliance. Cassell & Company Ltd., London, 1961.
Price: US$150.00 + shipping
Description: This is a jacketed copy of the fifth and final volume of Churchill's postwar speech volumes. There was no U.S. edition for this volume and the British first edition was limited to a single printing of 5,000 copies. Moreover, dust jackets for The Unwritten Alliance were notoriously poorly printed, and consequently are almost always rubbed or streaked, with orange showing through the black background. This copy is good plus in a good plus dust jacket sound, complete, and jacketed, despite suffering aesthetic deficiencies endemic to the edition. The orange-red cloth binding is square and tight, with mild overall soiling, very slight color shift to the spine, a strip of mild toning at the upper edge of the rear cover, tiny bumps to the lower corners, and wrinkling at the spine ends. The contents are clean, age-toned but with no previous ownership marks and no spotting. The dust jacket is unclipped, retaining the original front flap price, and with only one reportable loss a small chip confined to the oak leaf border at the upper left front face. Apart from modest overall soiling, the chief defect of this dust jacket is a significant case of the abrasion endemic to this editions dust jacket, resulting in considerable orange showing through the black on both the spine and front face. The dust jacket is protected beneath a removable, clear, archival cover.The Unwritten Alliance includes 70 speeches delivered by Churchill between 30 January 1953 and 31 October 1959. These speeches span the end of Churchill's second and final term as Prime Minister (1951-1955) and the twilight of his long life and public career. The period coincides with Churchills 1953 receipt of the Nobel Prize in Literature, in part " for brilliant oratory in defending exalted human values." The bulk of the speeches in The Unwritten Alliance - 43 of 70 and 250 of 332 pages - take place during Churchill's premiership. In this final volume of his speeches published during his lifetime, Churchill passes "into a living national memorial" of the time he has lived and the Nation, Empire, and free world he has served. The Unwritten Alliance takes its name specifically from Churchill's 8 June 1954 speech and more generally from the "special relationship" between Britain and the United States, which had endured postwar disagreements. The editor, Winstons son Randolph, wrote in his introduction to the volume that the title was "justified by the number of speeches which dwell on the paramount necessity of Anglo-American friendship." Reference: Cohen A273, Woods/ICS A142, Langworth p.338.
Seller: Churchill Book Collector ABAA/ILAB/IOBA, San Diego, CA, U.S.A.
WINSTON S. CHURCHILL. THE UNWRITTEN ALLIANCE SPEECHES 1953 & 1959. CASSELL & COMPANY , LONDON, 1961.
Price: US$283.42 + shipping
Condition: Very Good
Description: FIRST ISSUE. HARDBACK BOUND IN THE ORIGINAL CLOTH BINDING WITH THE CORRECT FIRST ISSUE PRICE CLIPPED DUST JACKET WITH COLOURED BAND TO EDGES, HALF TITLE PRESENT. BOOK MEASURES APPROX 9 X 6 INCHES WITH 11 + 332 PAGES. MINOR EDGE WEAR TO JACKET WITH A COUPLE OF VERY MINOR CHIPS TO JACKET AT TOP & BOTTOM OF SPINE, FEW MARKS TO REAR OF JACKET, LIGHT FOXING TO PAGE FORE-EDGES. OVERALL A VERY GOOD PLUS COPY IN BETTER THAN THE USUAL CONDITION WITH CLOTH BRIGHT & NO MAJOR LOSS TO JACKET. PLEASE NOTE THAT THE DUST JACKET HAS A REMOVABLE CLEAR WRAPPER THAT DOES SHOW SOME WRINKLES & REFLECTIONS IN IMAGES. EXTRA POSTAGE COSTS MAY APPLY TO OVERSEAS ORDERS.
Seller: Elder Books, Ross on Wye, Herefordshire, United Kingdom
Winston S. Churchill. The Unwritten Alliance. Cassell & Company Ltd., London, 1961.
Price: US$400.00 + shipping
Description: This is a jacketed copy of the fifth and final volume of Churchill's postwar speech volumes. There was no U.S. edition for this volume and the British first edition was limited to a single printing of 5,000 copies. Moreover, dust jackets for The Unwritten Alliance were notoriously poorly printed, and consequently are almost always rubbed or streaked, with orange showing through the black background. This copy is near fine in a near fine dust jacket, elusive thus. The orange-red cloth binding is square, tight, entirely unfaded, and immaculately clean with sharp corners and bright spine gilt. The contents are clean and bright with no previous ownership marks. We would grade this copy as truly fine if not for spotting, which appears confined to the text block edges. The dust jacket is vividly bright and entirely complete, with no loss and retaining the original front flap price. Moreover, it is substantially free of the orange streaking endemic to this edition, with just a little orange showing along the rear joint and front face. Shelf presentation is excellent. The white rear cover shows mild soiling and scattered spotting. The dust jacket is protected beneath a clear, removable, archival cover.The Unwritten Alliance includes 70 speeches delivered by Churchill between 30 January 1953 and 31 October 1959. These speeches span the end of Churchill's second and final term as Prime Minister (1951-1955) and the twilight of his long life and public career. The period coincides with Churchills 1953 receipt of the Nobel Prize in Literature, in part " for brilliant oratory in defending exalted human values." The bulk of the speeches in The Unwritten Alliance - 43 of 70 and 250 of 332 pages - take place during Churchill's premiership. In this final volume of his speeches published during his lifetime, Churchill passes "into a living national memorial" of the time he has lived and the Nation, Empire, and free world he has served. The Unwritten Alliance takes its name specifically from Churchill's 8 June 1954 speech and more generally from the "special relationship" between Britain and the United States, which had endured postwar disagreements. The editor, Winstons son Randolph, wrote in his introduction to the volume that the title was "justified by the number of speeches which dwell on the paramount necessity of Anglo-American friendship." Reference: Cohen A273, Woods/ICS A142, Langworth p.338.
Seller: Churchill Book Collector ABAA/ILAB/IOBA, San Diego, CA, U.S.A.
CHURCHILL, Winston S.. The Unwritten Alliance. Speeches 1953 to 1959.. Cassell, London., 1961.
Price: US$450.89 + shipping
Description: First edition. Edited by Randolph S. Churchill. Octavo. pp x, 332.Fine in fine dustwrapper with one tiny nick. Scarce, especially in this condition.
Seller: Peter Ellis, Bookseller, ABA, ILAB, London, United Kingdom
Price: US$483.10 + shipping
Description: Uncorrected proof copy, from the collection of Ronald Cohen. The proof does not have Randolph Churchill's introduction, but otherwise follows the published version. The Unwritten Alliance was the last of Churchill's books published in his lifetime, gathering his increasingly sparse speeches as his political presence wound down, and is "a remarkable coda to a singular, poignant career" (Langworth, p. 337). Provenance: Ronald Cohen, with his ownership inscription in pencil on the front free endpaper. Cohen's Bibliography of the Writings of Sir Winston Churchill, published in three volumes in 2006, is the authoritative source for collectors, librarians, and dealers. Cohen A273. Richard M. Langworth, A Connoisseur's Guide to the Books of Sir Winston Churchill, 1998. Octavo. Original brown wrappers, front cover lettered in black. A little light creasing and soiling. A very good copy.
Seller: Peter Harrington. ABA/ ILAB., London, United Kingdom
Price: US$644.13 + shipping
Condition: Good
Description: London: Cassell and Company Ltd., 1961. First edition, first impression. Full morocco leather by Zaehnsforf with the binders stamp in gilt to the base leather of the front paste down. Titles in gilt and gilt lined decoration to the spines, marbled endpapers, all page edges gilt and inner gilt dentelles (gilt decoration to the front and rear paste downs). The front boards are stamped with gilt initials 'F. C.G.' (Frederick Cambell Golding, 1901-1984, radiologist). Some occasional light foxing, otherwise very clean and crisp. All of Churchill's post-war volumes of speeches are less common than his war speeches, since they were published in much smaller quantities, and volume had the smallest print run of all five post-war volumes. It was also the only volume to have never been published in the US, even though it was the last of Churchill's books published during his lifetime. xi, [i], 332pp. Provenance the initials for Frederick Campbell Golding to the front board. Approximately 8 ½ inches tall. Condition Report Externally Spine very good condition gilt titles to gilt lined compartments. Joints very good condition gently rubbed and worn. Corners very good condition gently bumped and worn. Boards good condition full coarse grain morocco leather, minor marks, initials in gilt. Page edges good condition all edges gilt. See above and photos. Internally Hinges good condition sound. Paste downs good condition marbled paper with leather turn-ins and gilt dentelles. End papers good condition marbled paper. Title good condition some tanning, minor marks. Pages good condition lightly tanned throughout. Binding good condition attractive. See photos. Publisher: see above. Publication Date: 1961 Binding: Hardback
Seller: Louis88Books (Members of the PBFA), Andover, United Kingdom
WINSTON S.CHURCHILL. POST WAR SPEECHES. FOUR VOLUMES. CASSELL & COMPANY, LONDON 1948-1961, 1961.
Price: US$708.54 + shipping
Condition: Very Good
Description: ALL FOUR VOLUMES ARE THE FIRST EDITIONS & FIRST IMPRESSIONS. FOUR VOLUMES FROM THE FIVE VOLUME SET [LACKING STEMMING THE TIDE ] ALL HARDBACKS BOUND IN THE ORIGINAL CLOTH BINDINGS WITH THE ORIGINAL UNPRICE CLIPPED DUST JACKETS. EACH BOOK MEASURES APPROX 9 x 6 INCHES. SOME CHIPS TO JACKETS AT TOP & BOTTOM OF SPINES, FEW SMALL MINOR TEARS, THE ODD SMALL CREASE OR CHIPS TO EDGES OF JACKETS [SEE IMAGES FOR EXAMPLES ] CROSSED OUT NAME TO FRONT ENDPAPER OF THE UNWRITTEN ALLIANCE, NAME & ADDRESS WRITTEN TO FRONT ENDPAPER OF IN THE BALANCE, CORNER CROPPED TO FRONT BLANK ENDPAPER OF SINEWS OF PEACE, VERY ODD SPOT OF LIGHT FOXING TO PAGES, SMALL PRIVATE OWNERS IMPRESSED STAMP TO HALF TITLE OF THE SINEWS OF PEACE. PLEASE NOTE: THE JACKETS HAVE A CLEAR REMOVABLE COVERING THAT DOES SHOW SOME WRINKLES & REFLECTIONS IN IMAGES. OVERALL IN VERY GOOD CONDITION WITH MAJORITY OF PAGES CLEAN & CLOTH COVERS BRIGHT. EXTRA POSTAGE COSTS MAY APPLY TO OVERSEAS ORDERS.
Seller: Elder Books, Ross on Wye, Herefordshire, United Kingdom
Price: US$1127.23 + shipping
Description: Uncorrected proof copy, including the rare proof jacket; from the collection of Ronald Cohen. The proof does not have Randolph Churchill's introduction, but otherwise follows the published version; the jacket is identical to the published version, except it is slightly taller. The Unwritten Alliance was the last of Churchill's books published in his lifetime, gathering his increasingly sparse speeches as his political presence wound down, and is "a remarkable coda to a singular, poignant career" (Langworth, p. 337). Provenance: Ronald Cohen, with his ownership inscription in pencil on the front free endpaper. Cohen's Bibliography of the Writings of Sir Winston Churchill, published in three volumes in 2006, is the authoritative source for collectors, librarians, and dealers. Cohen A273. Richard M. Langworth, A Connoisseur's Guide to the Books of Sir Winston Churchill, 1998. Octavo. Original brown wrappers, front cover lettered in black. With proof jacket. Jacket a little creased and nicked at extremities (as almost inevitably, being larger than the book block); a fine copy in near-fine jacket.
Seller: Peter Harrington. ABA/ ILAB., London, United Kingdom