THE QUEST FOR CORVO. An Experiment in Biography.

First edition, first printing. Inscribed presentation copy. Publisher's original dark blue cloth blocked in gilt to the spine, in dustwrapper. With four illustrations in black and white. A very good or better copy, the binding firm with the spine slightly rolled. The cloth and gilt remain bright and fresh. The contents, toned to the text block edge are otherwise clean throughout and without previous owner's inscriptions or stamps. Publisher's four page brochure for the book loosely laid in. Complete with the rubbed and nicked dustwrapper that has tiny chip at the tips of the somewhat darkened spine. Not price-clipped (12s 6d net to the front flap).

Inscribed by the author in black ink on the front endpaper "For Harold / a tribute to a long / & enjoyable friendship / with the profoundest good / wishes from his friend the / author / A. J.". The recipient is Harold Herbert Jordain Hobday, an RAF pilot officer and air gunner, was one of seven crew of a Bristol (type 130) Bombay killed in 1940 on a turret practice exercise after departing Heliopolis. The Quest for Corvo is the author's masterpiece, a ground-breaking biography of the English author and eccentric Frederick Rolfe (the self-styled Baron Corvo).