Conversational Openings and Endings: Some Hints for Playing the Game of Small Talk and other Society Pastimes

Mrs. Hugh Bell (Dame Florence Eveleen Eleanore Bell)

Editore: Edward Arnold, London, 1899

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There are several reasons why this may be considered an intriguing offering. First, I wasn't able to find another copy of this title for sale anywhere on the Internet. Second, the singular rarity of this book is not due to its having been written by an obscure and ignored author. Mrs. Hugh Bell was Dame Florence Eveleen Eleanore Bell, a British writer and playwright, the daughter of Irish-born Joseph Francis Olliffe (later Sir Joseph Olliffe), and the second wife of Hugh Lowthian Bell, 2nd Baronet Bell of Rounton Grange. Florence Bell was herself created a Dame Commander of the Order of the British Empire (DBE) in 1918. Then there is the Third reason, although admittedly a stretch. When you look at the first front end paper you will see an undated penned inscription. It reads 'To Lady Di with love Deborah'. Hmmm. So here's this quite rare title written by a 'Lady', and gifted by a woman named Deborah to another 'Lady'. You have to admit it would've made a perfect gift for a new and naive Princess: 'hints for playing the game of small talk and other society pastimes'. We do know the book was published in London and hung around there for at least awhile (there is a small bookseller label at the bottom of the front inside cover, 'R.H. Blackwell, Oxford'). On the title page it says Revised and Enlarged Edition. Obviously that means there was an earlier edition. When I Googled the title I found the book referred to on Worldcat and other sources as published in 1899 by Edward Arnold. That is the case with my book. So, perhaps the first edition was also published in 1899? Mrs. Bell was born in 1851, not much of a clue. In any event, this is the only actual copy of this book for sale anywhere, revised or otherwise. Taking into account its age, I'm rating it Very Good Minus. You should be able to see (zoom in) that there's a small piece of the cover missing at the juncture of the front and spine near the top edge. So you're looking at the webbing there. Nevertheless, there are no binding issues with this book. The hinges are fine. You won't see webbing, not between the covers and the end papers, not between any of the pages in the book. And the pages (63 of them) are in very good condition. They are not dirty. There are no stains. There are a few fingerprinty marks and a little bit of age toning or darkening on the right-hand margin of the pages. The middle edge is a little bit jagged on several of the pages, including the title page. You can see the covers in the first three photographs. In addition to the aforementioned loss there's a little bit of rub-through around the corners, a tear on the rear side of the spine, and some handling soiling. All in all, not bad for a book published in 1899.

Codice articolo 000844

Dati bibliografici

• Titolo: Conversational Openings and Endings: Some Hints for Playing the Game of Small Talk and other Society Pastimes
• Editore: Edward Arnold, London
• Data di pubblicazione: 1899
• Rilegatura: Hardcover
• Condizione: Very Good Minus
• Cataloghi dei venditori:
  • One-Of-A-Kind
  • Crème de la crème
  • Antiquarian