THE LIFE OF FRANCIS DRAKE BY A.E.W. MASON 1941 COSWAY STYLE BINDING FOR ASPREY

[MASON, Alfred Edward Woodley]. The Life of Francis Drake. London: Hodder and Stoughton, 1941.

FIRST EDITION; leather-bound, hardcover, octavo (22.5 x 14 x 5 cm.), pp. ix, 436. English text, with portrait frontispiece, 1 plan and 1 facsimile map. Stunning Cosway-style binding for Asprey (stamp-signed in gilt on front turn-in), bound in full dark blue crushed morocco gilt, covers elaborately ruled and tooled in gilt, front cover with an inset central oval hand-painted portrait miniature (7 x 5.5 cm.) by William Mineard Bennet of exceptional quality of Francis Drake set under glass. Spine with five raised bands elaborately tooled and lettered in gilt in compartments. Wide gilt turn-ins with corner-pieces, silk moiré liners and endleaves, all page edges gilt. Presented in a custom solander box with velvet padded lining. Condition: FINE. An immaculate copy.