A History of the English-Speaking Peoples: Vol. 1, The Birth of Britain by Winston S. Churchill (1956 BCE) 🇬🇧⚔️📜

$65.00

This volume is an authenticated Book Club Edition (BCE) of The Birth of Britain, Volume One of Winston S. Churchill's sweeping A History of the English-Speaking Peoples. Published in 1956 by Dodd, Mead & Company, this work is recognized globally as a literary and historical masterpiece, contributing to Churchill's 1953 Nobel Prize in Literature.

The book's collectible value is secured by the unassailable institutional authority of the author and the inclusion of the original, striking red, white, and blue dust jacket. This piece is an investment in a documented work of world history, penned by the most significant British political figure of the 20th century.


 

2. About the Artwork/Book/Object 📖✍️✨

 

The Birth of Britain covers the history of the British Isles from the earliest times up to the Battle of Bosworth Field in 1485. The novel is a chronological account that details the early struggles and attacks of the Roman occupation, the settlement of the Anglo-Saxons, the Norman Conquest, and the subsequent establishment of English law and institutions.

The volume includes a unique "Report by John P. Marquand", which serves as an introduction to the set, explaining how Churchill, who was obviously too busy to write a history, managed to complete the work before Hitler invaded Poland. The acknowledgment page confirms the long process of preparation that began "before the Second World War," with assistance from figures like Mr. F. W. Deakin. The book is adorned with a blind-stamped signature of Winston S. Churchill on the front board.


 

3. About the Artist/Author/Maker ✍️🏛️

 

Sir Winston S. Churchill (1874–1965) was a Nobel Laureate, historian, and former Prime Minister of the United Kingdom. His career spanned over fifty years in public office, including his defining role as the leader of Great Britain during World War II.

Churchill was awarded the Nobel Prize in Literature in 1953 "for his mastery of historical and biographical description as well as for brilliant oratory". This four-volume history was conceived and largely drafted in the 1930s, long before the war, as a means to chronicle the rise of Britain and the ideals of liberty that he later defended in his wartime speeches. His authorship transforms this history from a mere chronicle into a primary source document of 20th-century political thought.


 

4. Historical/Political Era Context 🌍🕰️📜

 

The book was published in 1956, a period of post-war recovery and political transformation in Great Britain, marked by the Suez Crisis and the decline of the British Empire. The history was published after Churchill's final retirement as Prime Minister in 1955.

The work itself was begun in 1939, just before the outbreak of World War II, and serves as a powerful defense of British heritage and the long struggle for freedom. The Introduction notes that the core of the work was completed before Hitler invaded Poland. This means the history was written as a clarion call to the West, a reminder of the historical continuity of the fight against tyranny. This volume is a time capsule of post-war global leadership, documenting the historical views of the man who saved Western Civilization.


 

5. The Ideal Collector 💡🧐🏛️

 

This volume is tailored for a Curator of 20th-Century Political and Historical First Editions and a Scholar of the British Empire. The Ideal Collector seeks works that are written by figures of profound historical influence.

The book belongs in a collection that focuses on Nobel Laureates, World War II History, or British Political Memoirs. The strong visual aesthetic, combined with the unassailable authority of the author, makes it a powerful display piece for a sophisticated library.


 

6. Value & Rarity 💎✨🏛️

 

This book is an authenticated Book Club Edition (BCE) from 1956, making it 69 years old. As a BCE, it is a common edition with a lower base value. The BCE status dictates a mandatory deduction from the scarce retail First Edition.

The book's value is secured entirely by its Content Scarcity and Institutional Authority. It is a complete, intact copy of a Nobel Prize-winning historical work. The presence of the original dust jacket and the accompanying original pamphlet secures an Ephemera Premium for its completeness. The price rewards the collector for acquiring a well-preserved artifact authored by a figure of immense global significance.


 

7. Condition 🔎📚✨

 

This is a 1956 BCE hardcover with the original dust jacket. The binding is a red and black cloth with gray boards.

  • Positive Qualities:

    • The binding is tight and square, providing excellent structural integrity.

    • The original dust jacket is present and retains the full iconic design.

    • The book comes with the original historical pamphlet (Report by John P. Marquand).

    • The blind-stamped signature of Winston S. Churchill is visible on the front board.

  • Imperfections:

    • The dust jacket shows moderate rubbing and minor chipping along the edges and spine.

    • The boards show light shelf wear and soiling.

    • The book is a confirmed Book Club Edition, which dictates a base deduction.


 

8. Fun Facts & Unique Features 🤓📜🤩

 

  • Churchill was one of only two people to serve as Prime Minister twice (1940–45 and 1951–55), cementing his unique political status.

  • The history was originally planned to be finished in three years, starting in 1939, but the demands of World War II delayed its completion by over a decade.

  • The accompanying pamphlet by John P. Marquand (a Pulitzer Prize winner) explains that the history was "virtually completed before Hitler invaded Poland", a detail that highlights the prescience of the work.

  • The acknowledgments section explicitly thanks Mr. F. W. Deakin and Mr. G. M. Young for their assistance in preparing the work "before the Second World War".


 

9. Supporting Information 🏷️📦💰

 

  • Title: A History of the English-Speaking Peoples: Volume One, The Birth of Britain

  • Author: Winston S. Churchill

  • Year of Publication: 1956

  • Publisher: Dodd, Mead & Company, Inc.

  • Place of Origin: New York, Printed in USA

  • Format/Binding: Hardcover, Red/Black Cloth and Gray Boards with Original Dust Jacket

  • Edition: Book Club Edition (BCE)

  • Rarity: Common Edition (BCE), High Institutional Authority

  • Verbatim Transcription of Inscription/Marking: None

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