THE ROYAL TOUCH: Sacred Monarchy and Scrofula in England and France.

First English edition, first printing. Publisher's original purple cloth with titles in gilt to the spine, in dustwrapper. Illustrated with five black and white photographic plates. A fine copy, the binding square and tight, the contents clean and crisp throughout and free from any previous owners' inscriptions or stamps. Complete with the near fine dustwrapper which has a little toning to the spine and minor shelf wear to the extremities. Not price-clipped (£6.50 net to the front flap).

The first English edition of Bloch's most important early work. Based upon his doctoral thesis, it explores the medieval belief in the 'royal touch' - the notion that scrofula could be cured by touching the king's hand - and examines more broadly the healing and other supernatural powers traditionally attributed to the kings of England and France. A study of kingship, mass-delusion and belief in the supernatural, it has been described as Bloch's earliest masterwork, and the first example of his interdisciplinary style, incorporating research from the fields of anthropology, medicine, psychology, and iconography.

Stock code: 19258