THE WORLD CRISIS: The World Crisis 1911-1918; The Aftermath 1918-1928; The Unknown War: The Eastern Front.

Complete in four volumes. First edition, first printing of volume III. Each volume is signed by the author. Presentation bindings by Bumpus, Oxford. Three quarter red morocco and red cloth, ruled in gilt to the upper and lower boards. Five raised bands, gilt ruled compartments, and titles in gilt to the spines. All edges gilt. Illustrated with photographs, plans, maps (some folding) and diagrams throughout. Loosely laid into volume one is a telegram from Winston Churchill (dated 29 December 1951), and a facsimile note, on Downing Street notepaper, thanking the recipient for their kind contribution to his birthday present. A very near fine set. The bindings, square and firm, bright and fresh with just a touch of uniform fading to the spines. The contents, with a little offsetting to the endpapers, are clean throughout.

Inscribed by the author in black ink on the front endpaper of volume I "To Robert Mackenna / from / Winston S. Churchill / 1951"; inscribed in black ink in volumes II and III to the front blank, and in volume IV on the front endpaper "From Winston S. Churchill / 1951". The recipient, Dr Robert Merttins Bird Mackenna (1903–1984), was appointed Adviser in Dermatology to the War Office in 1941 and subsequently became War Office Consultant in Dermatology, serving with the rank of Acting Colonel and Local Brigadier. He held this position until 1964. From the late 1940s through the 1960s, he also served as Winston Churchill's personal dermatologist. An exquisite presentation, with impeccable provenance. Churchill's history of the First World War was originally published in six volumes between 1923 and 1931, the first four volumes covering the war years 1911-1918. Here, the complete, unabridged text of the first four volumes are housed in two, to which Churchill adds a foreword, dated November 1938 in volume I, and new material, in volume II, Appendix I, published here for the first time. Volume III 'The Aftermath' is a first edition, first printing, published in New York by Scribners in 1929, preceding the UK edition by a few days. Volume IV, 'The Eastern Front', is an early printing of the Scribners first edition, dated 1932 to the title page, rather than 1931 of the first printing, and completes the work. "Although parts of The World Crisis were highly autobiographical, drawing on documents from Churchill's private papers, the book as a whole was a stupendous narrative of the war in Europe featuring masterly set-piece accounts of major battles. Dictated to secretaries as he strode up and down the room, it exhibited his passionate interest in war and his romantic conception of the 'true glory' of the troops who perished on the Somme" (Oxford Dictionary of National Biography; Woods A31 notes; Cohen A69.1(IV)a, A69.1(V)).