The Sword of Wood

London: Elkin Mathews & Marrot, 1928. First and Limited Edition. Hardcover. Fine/Near Fine. First separate printing, one of 530 copies, octavo size, 26 pp., signed by G.K. Chesterton. Gilbert Keith Chesterton (1874-1936) was a major writer of novels, poetry, and Christian apologetics; he is perhaps best known for his series of detective stories featuring the priest-detective Father Brown, and for such apologetics as "Orthodoxy" and "The Everlasting Man". A forceful and prolific writer, Chesterton's works feature his masterful grasp of language and wit, as well as his strong Christian faith, and he was an influence on noted writers such as C. S. Lewis, (truncated) Jorge Luis Borges, and Neil Gaiman.

This story being quintessential Chesterton, opening with "Down in the little village of Grayling-Abbot, in Somerset, men did not know that the world we live in had begun....", the story weaves around a "magical" sword and takes place in the English countryside that Chesterton loved so dearly, and which has probably, by this time, almost disappeared.

Number One of the "Woburn Books"; according to Sullivan, "[t]his limited, signed edition was the only separate publication in book form. 'The Sword of Wood' was reprinted from the 'Pall Mall Magazine, November 1913, and collected in 'Stories, Essays and Poems', 1935."

___DESCRIPTION: Bound in pale pink paper with navy blue lettering and decorations over boards, pale pink endpapers with navy decorations, all edges uncut, limitation statement with Chesterton's signature on the verso of the title page; octavo size (8" by 5 5/8"), pagination: [1-2] 3-26. In the original dust jacket with the same paper and decorations as the boards, both flaps with a listing of "The Woburn Books" (eight total) with the price of 6 shillings.

___CONDITION: Volume fine overall, with clean boards, straight corners without rubbing, a strong, square text block with solid hinges, the interior is clean and bright, and entirely free of prior owner markings; some offsetting to the free endpapers from the area of the pastedowns not covered by the dust jacket, tail of the spine bumped (but not rubbed), and one gutter beginning to crack (between pp. 6 and 7) but the signatures securely in place; even with its few faults, still fine overall. The dust jacket near fine, clean with light overall edgewear; the spine sunned and a very short (approx. one-third inch) closed tear at the top of the front panel. Altogether a lovely example.

___CITATION: Sullivan no. 76.

___POSTAGE: International customers, please note that additional postage may apply as the standard does not always cover costs; please inquire for details.

___Swan's Fine Books is pleased to be a member of the ABAA, ILAB, and IOBA and we stand behind every book we sell. Please contact us with any questions you may have, we are here to help. (Inventory #: 25030609)