Lot 46 , Churchill, Winston Spencer (1874-1965). The Collected Works ... Centenary Edition. London: Library of Imperial History, 1973-1975. Limited edition, number 373. The centenary edition was to be published with a limitation

° Churchill, Winston Spencer (1874-1965). The Collected Works ... Centenary Edition. London: Library of Imperial History, 1973-1975. Limited edition, number 373. The centenary edition was to be published with a limitation of 2000 copies for the British Empire and Commonwealth excluding Canada and 1000 copies for the United States and Canada, but only 1750 set were published, 39 volumes, including 4 volumes of Collected Essays and subscribers’ proof copy of Vol. 1, octavo (234 x 145mm). Plates and illustrations, maps. Original vellum with coat-of-arms stamped in gilt on upper covers, spines gilt, gilt edges, green leatherette slipcases. (39 Vols.) First complete collected edition, 1,750 sets published. The Centenary Edition is the only full collected works of Winston Churchill, reproducing his 50 books in 34 volumes. "The specifications were titanic: five million words in 19,000 pages, weighing 90 lbs, taking up 4-1/2 ft of shelf space." (Richard M. Langworth). The Library of Imperial History went bankrupt before the projected run of 3,000 sets could be completed, so "the print run never exceeded 2,000 copies and only 1,750 sets were ever published" (Cohen). This set is accompanied by the four-volume Centenary Limited Edition of Churchill's collected essays and journalistic writings, again intended to be limited to 3,000 sets, not always present.
£4,000-6,000

Condition:
Near mint, largely unopened. Slight yellowing to some of vellum spines. Some minor abrasions to a few slip case exteriors.

Sold for £3,800