The Italian Girl (Inscribed Association Copy)

First edition, first impression.  214pp, with wood engravings by Reynolds Stone on the title page and last leaf.  Inscribed by Reynolds Stone or his wife Janet on the front free endpaper, ‘Nancy and Evelyn, from Janet and Reynolds, Election Day, 15 Oct ’64, 76 Avenue rue Victor Hugo, Paris. [likely a reference to the UK General Election of that day which saw the Labour Party, led by Harold Wilson, narrowly defeating the incumbent Conservative Government]. Blue cloth-covered boards, gilt lettering on the spine.  Cloth a little rubbed with slight discolouration on spine ends.  Text block edges yellowed, with some minor indentations on the fore edge.  Internally the first and last few pages show a little age discolouration.  In its original matter dust wrapper designed by Reynolds Stone, not price clipped, shelf worn and significantly rubbed all round edges , with a little toning visible on the rear panel.  Dust wrapper now protected in an archival-quality Mylar sleeve, fitted without the use of tape or adhesives.

Iris Murdoch and (Alan) Reynolds Stone shared a close, creative friendship.  Stone produced a series of 12 woodcuts for A Year of the Birds, Murdoch’s 1978 poetry collection, as well as the woodcuts and jacket design for this volume.  Following Stone’s death in 1979, Murdoch delivered a memorial address, later published.