YOUNG, Filson.

£2,500 · Offered by Peter Harrington · No longer available

A Christmas Card. First edition, first impression. Presentation copy, inscribed by the author to his old associate Max Beerbohm while on service with the Royal Naval Volunteer Reserve in the First World War, "Max from Filson. H.M.S. Lion, North Sea, 5 Jan 1915", together with an original pen-and-ink and watercolour caricature of the author by Beerbohm drawn on the half-title. The portrait is based closely on that executed by Max in 1913 and published in A Survey (1921), differing primarily in expression and the treatment of the hair. Young had given Beerbohm's A Christmas Garland (1912) a warm but astute notice in The Saturday Review.Decidedly uncommon: Library Hub cites copies at just five British and Irish institutional libraries (BL, Oxford, Cambridge, Scotland, V&A), WorldCat adds only California at San Diego, Tulsa and Harry Ransom.Laid-in are an autograph card from Eva G. Reichmann to Anthony Hobson, enclosing the book as a gift: "... Given to me by Mrs Reichmann (sister of the second Lady Beerbohm and Administratrix of the estates of Sir Max and Lady Beerbohm), 21 Dec. 1960", and an autograph note by Hobson noting the provenance. With Hobson's bookplate also to the front pastedown; Hobson (1921-2014) was the director of Sotheby's and a noted bibliophile.

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