À KEMPIS, Thomas. The Imitation of Christ, Called Also The Ecclesiastical Music.
London: Methuen & Co., 1910. Sixth edition of C. Bigg's revised translation, first published in 1898 as part of Methuen's Library of Devotion.
A particularly attractive association copy, finely bound by Zaehnsdorf in 1912, and later belonging to Joan Margaret Welby, future Viscountess Portal of Hungerford, wife of Marshal of the Royal Air Force Charles Portal.
Presented to the fifteen-year-old Joan by Aline Wyllie on Palm Sunday 1914, five years before her marriage to Portal, with a manuscript quotation from St Augustine beneath: Fecisti nos ad Te et inquietum est cor nostrum, donec requiescat in Te - "You have made us for Yourself, and our heart is restless until it rests in You."
Bound in full dark burgundy crushed morocco by Zaehnsdorf, the covers framed with multiple gilt fillets and the upper board centred with an elaborate gilt cross; raised bands and gilt lettering to the spine, broad gilt-tooled turn-ins, red silk doublures and endleaves, and all edges gilt. Signed and dated "Bound by Zaehnsdorf 1912" to the front turn-in.
From the family library of Charles Portal, 1st Viscount Portal of Hungerford, wartime Chief of the Air Staff.
