MITFORD, Nancy. The Blessing. London: Hamish Hamilton. 1951.
8vo. Publisher’s dark blue cloth lettered in gilt to spine, illustrated dust jacked designed by Cecil Beaton with the printed price of 10s. 6d. to front flap; pp. 270, [2 (blank)]; tape mark to front free endpaper, some spotting to top edge and a couple of spots to fore edge, slight wear to jacket at crown, but otherwise extremely bright; near fine.
First edition, first impression.
Set in Paris after the Second World War, Grace Allingham (“a typical English woman” blurb) is struggling in her married life. Her troubles are not helped by her son, Sigi, “the blessing” of the title. Sigi is constantly plotting against his parents in a bid for their attention, and to keep them at odds with each other.
The wonderful dust-jacket is designed by Cecil Beaton, a close friend of the author. A lovely copy, with an unusually vibrant example of the jacket.
SKU: 2124647