A fine copy of in first edition of Kipling’s evocative collection of short stories drawn from the ranks of the British Army at the height of Empire. Octavo, original publisher’s blue cloth, gilt titles to spine and front panel, with elaborate pictorial gilt tooling of military motifs. Triple gilt rules to upper board, all edges gilt. Frontispiece with tissue guard; illustrated throughout with fine engravings by A. S. Hartrick.
Contains seven tales including “The Courting of Dinah Shadd,” “The Drums of the Fore and Aft,” and “The Man Who Was,” showcasing Kipling’s masterful depiction of soldierly life, duty, and honor. Published the same year as the American edition, but preceding it.
A fine copy. Bright and unfaded, with sharp corners and strong gilt. Internally clean and crisp throughout, free of foxing or ownership marks. A remarkably well-preserved example of this visually striking volume, seldom found in such condition.
A cornerstone Kipling title, and a superb addition to any collection of Victorian literature, military fiction, or finely illustrated 19th-century books.
