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REMENHAM, JOHN [Pseud. John Alexander Vlasto.]: : SEED OF EVIL

LONDON.MACDONALD & CO. (Publishers) LTD.,[n.d. but 1944.]

ISBN No ISBN.

UK,slim 8vo HB+dw/dj,1st edn.['BOOK PRODUCTION WAR ECONOMY STANDARD' -.'This book is produced in complete conformity with the War Economy Agreement' advice/ notification to recto of title page.] NFINE/VG.No owner inscrptn and no price- clip to dw/dj.Bright,crisp,clean,glossy laminated,colour pictorial artwork illustrated front panel+spine/backstrip of dw/dj with yellow lettering to each,rear panel with lightly grubbed white background with publisher's advert for other published titles.A tiny incision on spine but without affecting spine beneath. Front panel of dw/dj has a few circular indent impressions - some of which have concomitant spots to board beneath - one in particular leaving an imprint through prelims and first few pages (12pp in all). With negligible shelf-wear,bumping, creasing to edges and corners - minor creasing and very miniscule chipping to both head+foot of spine/backstrip with minute reciprocal loss - but no other major nicks,tears or splits present.Top edges lightly discoloured from dust- soiling but with very little sporadic foxing/spotting,fore-edges similarly lightly toned and with virtually no foxing,just a couple of foxing/spotting flecks; contents bright,tight, exceptionally clean - almost pristine - solid and sound,no dog-ear reading creases to any pages' corners - appears unread apart from my own collation.Bright,crisp, clean,sharp-cornered,publisher's original, green cloth boards/covers with bright, crisp blocked black ink lettering and publisher's device, and near immaculate plain white eps,bookseller's pink+white paper strip label to lower edge of front pastedown.UK,slim 12mo HB+dw/dj,1st edn, vpp+7-191pp [paginated] includes contents list/table with prose extract to recto,Pts I-III comprising 4,6 and 11 chapters respectively,plus [unpaginated] half-title +title pages. A very uncommon example - particularly of this 1st edn title - with a dw/dj,in a book of its age,and given it's period of production, i.e. 1940-1947 - with wartime paper-rationing,and the poor quality of cheap paper stock generally used and survival rates of air-raids on domestic and commercial properties i.e publishers+ printers.Any dw/dj would have been of substandard quality and prone to subsequent disintegration and usually discarded.With war-time paper rationing and conservation of that and other materials,pulping was actively encouraged, so publishers with restricted and limited quantities for publishing,opted towards highly acidic and therefore cheaper paper, allowing for more books to be produced. Books made with this cheaper material tend to degrade faster,exhibiting several faults,blemishes,foxing/spotting etc.,and subsequently are uncommon and harder to find in a particularly fine condition. When Damon Barrington-Sinclair,brilliant young novellst and playwright,was found shot through the head in the country cottage home of his friend and secretary, Cedric Turpey,a verdict of suicide seemed the only possible answer to the riddle of his death. But the gifted and popular young writer did not kill himself.He was murdered; murdered by a man he had long counted as one of his closest friends,and by means of his own designing. This,however,is no ordinary mystery story,though it is not until after the killer has been caught and brought to justice that the underlying theme is revealed.Then the murderer tells his own story; a story that takes us back into the childhood of the principal characters.We see the warped workings of an egocentric mind,and come to realise how it was that hate and evil sprang from a seed of envy. Mr Remenham is an undoubted expert in the creation of characters that are as fascinating as they are unpleasant.Many will remember the priggish hypocrite in 'Righteous Abel.'.In his new and powerful novel the author continues on the same lines with equally successful results. An exceptional item,in it's cleanliness and the dw/dj's near entirety,because of the fragility of paper used,and with little detraction from either.His early titles rare and those by this publisher are still uncommon,more so and particularly with its original dw/dj. Please contact seller,because of the lighter weight and the value of this item for correct,insured shipping/P+p quotes - particularly ALL overseas buyers - BEFORE ordering through the order page!

UK,slim 8vo HB+dw/dj,1st edn.
Not SIGNED.