SEVEN PILLARS OF WISDOM: A TRIUMPH the Complete 1922 Text

4 volumes. THE MOST EXQUISITE AND MOST BEAUTIFULLY PRODUCED OF THE LIMITED EDITION COPIES of the 1922 Oxford text. THE FIRST EDITION of the Oxford 1922 text ever to be made available to the general public. ONE OF ONLY 80 specially bound hand-numbered copies accompanied with an "Illustrations Volume" including also the Introduction to Seven Pillars of Wisdom, the text of the sample proof of chapters I-VIII as circulated by Lawrence in September 1924 together with the equivalent text from the 1926 edition, showing the amendments made on the advice of Bernard Shaw and others, and a "Proofs and Maps" collection in an additional portfolio. There were only 752 copies printed in total of which the greatest number were of two volumes only, bound in cloth and boards. This set of four volumes specially bound is a rare bird indeed, and a set with pleasing provenance, the copy of St. John Armitage who is greatly acknowledged for his help with transliteration and translation of Arabic phrases. The 80 hand-numbered copies are supplied with a separate volume of beautifully reproduced illustrations from the reknown "Subscribers Edition" of Seven Pillars of Wisdom, this volume also contains the text 'INTRODUCTION TO SEVEN PILLARS OF WISDOM, which is the text from the sample proof chapters circulated by Lawrence in 1924 together with the same text from the 1926 edition showing the amendments made on the advice of George Bernard Shaw. This special set also includes a separate portfolio with a set of proofs of the Seven Pillars portraits, with Japanese paper guards between. This portfolio also contains the two folding maps which were included in a pocket in the lesser cloth-bound sets. The set of text volumes, the volume of illustrations and the rear of each of the proof portraits are all numbered '93' by hand. 4to, the text of Seven Pillars being in the magnificent binding for 80 copies only of full dark-blue crushed goatskin by the Fine Bindery with lavishly gilt decorated turn-ins over hand-marbled endpapers by Ann Muir, the spines of the volumes with handsome raised bands tastefully ruled in blind, and gilt lettered in three compartments, a.e.g. The illustrations volume in half dark-blue goatskin over white linen and the proof illustrations and maps in a white linen portfolio with blue paper pocket. The special portfolio made only for these special sets is of white linen covered boards with Japanese vellum sheets placed between each proof portraits. [xx], 433; [434]-879, [1]; Plates 1 - 127, [1], 81; maps and proofs pp. A perfect set, everything is as mint and exactly as should be with no evidence of use or age whatsoever, even the white linen slipcase only shows the merest of shelving on the bottom and one side which would be imperceptible on any other colour but white.