A True Tale of Love in Tonga. GIBBINGS (Robert).

Told in 23 engravings on wood and 333 word by Robert Gibbings.

First Edition. 8vo. [210 x 140 x 10 mm]. 52p. Bound in publisher's quarter green cloth with yellow and black illustrated paper sides, lettered in gilt to the spine. With dust wrapper. (Wrapper faded with short tears and a few marks).
London: Faber and Faber, 1935.

Free endleaves browned at inner margin. Inscribed in ink on front endleaf: "For Llewellyn Powys from Clifford Musgrave, with warmest wishes for Christmas, 1935".

Clifford Musgrave (1904-1982) was appointed Borough Librarian of Brighton in 1941, and was for more than 30 years Director of the Royal Pavilion, rescuing it from dereliction. He was the founding Honorary Secretary of Brighton's Regency Society, and the author of books including Life in Brighton, Royal Pavilion, Regency Furniture. 1800-30, Adam and Hepplewhite and other Neo-Classical Furniture and Queen Mary's Dolls' House.

Llewellyn Powys (1884-1939), the essayist, novelist and family member had a close association with Robert Gibbings and was described as his "soulmate". He was author of Glory of Life (1934) the first major book published by the Golden Cockerel Press after its sale by Gibbings to Christopher Stanford. It was illustrated by Gibbings, who considered the wood-engravings to be amongst his best works.

Stock no. ebc5515