POEMS FROM ITALY.
Verses written by members of the Eighth Army in Sicily and Italy, July 1943-March 1944. With a Foreword by Lieutenant-General Sir Oliver Leese, Bart. K.C.B., C.B.E., D.S.O., formerly Commander of the Eighth Army, and an Introduction by Siegfried Sassoon. Pp. 92; demy 8vo; full dark blue morocco, the spine lettered and decorated in gilt, small ribbon insignia in Italian colours mounted within a single rule gilt border on the upper board, boards a trifle marked, fore-corners of upper board faintly bruised, the spine slightly faded; t.e.g., others uncut; book label of David Levine, Sydney, on upper pastedown, tiny ink mark to upper free endpaper, free endpapers and outer blanks offset at edges (from the leather binding); George G. Harrap & Co. Ltd, London, 1945. First [limited] edition, being one of 110 numbered copies on hand-made paper; this copy signed by Sassoon on the limitation page. Keynes B18, footnote (not calling for the author's signature). *72 poems selected from a total of 596 entries submitted to a competition organized in the Eighth Army by the Army Educational Corps. All were written in Italy or Sicily during the first nine months of the Italian campaign. Item #179281
Price: $750.00