The Hornblower Saga: Admiral Hornblower (Set 3)

C.S. Forester, The Hornblower Saga, Admiral Hornblower. London: The Folio Society, [2020]. First printing thus. 229 × 152 × 27–30 mm. 3 vols (see below). Type: Bulmer. Printed and bound by Neografia in three-quarter blue cloth with a cloth front board printed and blocked with a different design by Joe McLaren for each volume. Aside from plates, McLaren has also contributed chapter headings, frontispieces and illustrations for the titles. Blue three-volume slip case printed with repeat wave design and blocked in gold (titled as above). The concluding set in the series. The three volumes are as follows:

[1] C.S. Forester, The Commodore, introduced by Bernard Cornwell, illustrated by Joe McLaren. Pp. [i–iv] v–xi [xii– xviii], [1–2] 3–274 [275–278]: [4] leaves of black and white plates (facing pp. 96, 131, 202 and 253). Endleaves printed with wave design in orange and blue. Four maps are on pages [xv–xviii].

[2] C.S. Forester, Lord Hornblower . . . Pp. [i–iv] v–ix [x–xiv], [1–2] 3–229 [230–234]: [4] leaves of black and white plates (facing pp. 69, 96, 135 and 217). Endleaves printed with wave design in green and blue. A map is on page [xiii].

[3] C.S. Forester, Hornblower in the West Indies . . . Pp. [i–iv] v–xi [xii–xvi], [1–2] 3–279 [280]: [4] leaves of black and white plates (facing pp. 93, 139, 165 and 244). Endleaves printed with wave design in two shades of blue. A map is on pages [xiv–xv]. Concludes with the short story ‘The last encounter’.

Condition

Near-fine books unlikely to have ever been read, with tight bindings and clean, bright pages, with a small production error on volume 1 (which is missing its front endleaves and has the FFEP directly affixed to the front board) and a very shallow, barely visible scratch to the spine of volume 1. All housed in a fine slipcase with minor shelf-wear. No bumps, nor dings. A beautiful and now quite rare set.