"A book should serve as the axe for the frozen sea within us."
— Franz Kafka
Winston Churchill | First Editions
1874 - 1965
Sir Winston Leonard Spencer-Churchill, KG, OM, CH, TD, PC, DL, FRS (30 November 1874 - 24 January 1965) was one of those people it is difficult to avoid in the rare book world, simply by dint of the fact that he was amazingly prolific, and had an educated opinion on everything.
As well as being Prime Minister of the UK twice, steering Britain to Victory during the dark days of the Second World War, writing more speeches than the entire Roman Senate, being a serving officer in the army, taking a stint as a war correspondent, being a noted historian, a less noted painter (although the island of Madeira loves him), he received the Nobel Prize for Literature and was also the first person to be made an honorary citizen of the USA.
See below our stock of Winston Churchill First Editions, fine bindings, sets, signed copies, and other collectible material.
Chartwell
Churchill War Rooms
Blenheim Palace
How and When the War Could Have Been Prevented: An Answer to a Question by the Right Hon. Winston S. Churchill, C.H., First Lord of the Admiralty 1911-1915, in his Book, "The World Crisis, 1911-1914."
Newry: R. Sands, 1923. RARE PAMPHLET. Crown Octavo. pp. 47 [4]. With 4 tipped-in pages of addenda, dated 1928. In publisher's cyan paper covers with black titles. Inscribed 'With the author's compliments' in black ink to head of front cover, and stamped 'Regd. Stationers' Hall, 25/7/28' in purple ink to... More
Winston Churchill and Harrow: Memories of the Prime Minister's Schooldays 1888-1892.
Harrow: The Harrow School Book Shop, n.d. [1941]. FIRST EDITION. Octavo, pp.101 [1]. With 20 photographic and facsimile plates, including a frontispiece portrait of Churchill as a school boy. In publisher's blue cloth with gilt titles to spine and upper board. Light spotting to prelims, otherwise very good. A collection... More
My African Journey
London: Hodder and Stoughton [1908]. Hodder Sixpenny Novel. 8vo. Bound in publishers colour pictorial card wraps. Cheap paper toned, some expected wear to the fragile paperback, near repair to corner of upper cover; a very good copy. A remarkable survival; an attractive copy of a scarce Churchill sixpenny edition. More
London to Ladysmith via Pretoria.
London: Longmans, Green, & Co., 1900. FIRST EDITION. Illustrated with folding coloured map, 3 further folding maps, 4 plans, pp. (xiv), 498, 2 of adverts, 32-page of publisher's catalogue. Publisher's pictorial beige cloth a little dusty but still unusually bright, bright gilt titles to darker spine, edges dusty. 2 maps... More
London to Ladysmith via Pretoria.
London: Longmans, Green, & Co., 1900. 'New Impression' (published in the same format and year as the first). Illustrated with folding coloured map, 3 further folding maps, 4 plans, pp. (xiv), 498, 2 of adverts, 32-page of publisher's catalogue. Publisher's pictorial beige cloth, coated black endpapers. Ownership inscription and armorial... More
Arms and the Covenant. Speeches on Foreign Affairs and National Defence. Compiled by Randolph S. Churchill.
George G. Harrap and Co. Ltd, 1938. FIRST EDITION, EARLIEST STATE. 8vo., pps 466. Publisher's blue cloth with gilt titles to spine in pale blue dustwrapper. This copy is a Colonial issue, sold by A.H.Spencer of Melbourne and with UK price clipped from jacket, Australian label applied to spine. A.... More
My Early Life: A Roving Commission.
London: Macmillan, 1941. First Macmillan Edition, SIGNED. Octavo. Bound in publisher's blue cloth, with titles in gilt to spine. Binding lightly rubbed, some bumping to corners and spine ends, some small spots of discolouration. Text, including illustrations, is clean and free from blemishes. Author's inscription appears on front free endpaper... More
Savrola. A Tale of the Revolution in Laurania.
London, Longmans Green and Co., 1900. FIRST EDITION, FIRST IMPRESSION: Octavo pp. 345, [2 ads.] Rebound in late 20th Century full black morocco leather, gilt titles to spine and upper following the disign of the original cloth, with marbled endpapers. Ink name to first blank, a clean copy. Churchill's only... More
First Journey.
London: William Heinemann, 1964. SIGNED FIRST EDITION. Octavo, pp.xiv, 225. With 36 b/w photographic illustrations. Maps printed to end-papers. SIGNED by the author in black ink to half-title, dated 8/11/66. In publisher's red cloth with gilt titles to spine. With original pictorial dust jacket. Top edge red. Jacket spine sunned... More
Signed leaf from Wembley Visitors Book, England vs. Scotland Footbal Match. Saturday, October 4th, 1941.
1941. Single leaf from a visitors book, signed by the aforementioned listed dignitaries in attendance, each with their name typed in red to the right of the respective autograph. A title caption is typed in black at the foot. In a common window mount, attractively paired with a copy of... More
The Life and Times of Winston Churchill.
London: Odhams Press Limited, [1945]. FIRST EDITION, published in August 1945. Octavo, pp.320. Illustrated throughout. Elegantly hand-bound in half black oasis over cloth boards, spine gilt-lettered in six compartments with raised bands, Churchill bust motif to front cover. A fine copy of the first printing in an attractive recent leather... More
The Life and Times of Winston Churchill.
London: Odhams Press Limited, [1945]. [Political biography]. FIRST EDITION, published in August 1945. Octavo, pp.320. Illustrated throughout. Elegantly hand-bound in half dark blue oasis over original cloth boards, spine gilt-lettered in six compartments with raised bands, Churchill bust motif to front cover. Internally clean; boards sunned to extremities else fine... More
Stemming the Tide.
Boston: Houghton Mifflin Company. 1954. First US edition (utilising the British sheets). Octavo, pp. x, 379. Contains the fifty most important speeches Churchill made in the first two years after his return to office as prime Minister. Review copy with review slip laid in. An uncommon book with only 1850... More
Post-War Speeches, 1945-1959: The Sinews of Peace; Europe Unite; In the Balance; Stemming the Tide; The Unwritten Alliance.
London: Cassell and Company, 1948-61. ALL FIRST EDITIONS. Octavo. In five volumes. pp. 256; ix, 506; x, 456; x, 379; xi, 332. In publisher's orange, green, blue, pink and red cloth hardcovers respectively, gilt titles to spine, original printed dust-jackets. 'Stemming the Tide' has the second state jacket without the... More
War Speeches 1940-1945.
London: Cassell and Company, 1946. First Edition. Collected speeches, a paperback original. Octavo, pp. x, 271. Bound in light-blue paper wraps, with half tone frontispiece photo. Printed on war economy standard paper which the usual tanning to cheap stock. Binding remains tight. The wraps show some expected wear, toned to... More
War Speeches 1940-1945.
London: Cassell and Company, 1946. First Edition. Collected speeches, a paperback original. Octavo, pp.x, 271. Bound in light blue paper wraps, with half-tone frontispiece photo. Printed on war economy standard paper which has some inevitable tanning. Binding remains tight, spine intact with a little rubbing to joints. A superior copy... More
ALS Signed to Cecil Harmsworth (1869-1948). With envelope addressed in Churchill's hand.
Single sheet of Colonial Office notepaper, written whilst a member of the Liberal cabinet, beginning "Dear Mr. Harmsworth, I have already gone into Mr Podwin's case at the request of Mr George Wyndham", and explaining that he will gladly help him find a post. Dated 'March 24th', sadly without the... More
Arms and the Covenant. Speeches on Foreign Affairs and National Defence. Compiled by Randolph S. Churchill.
George G. Harrap and Co. Ltd, 1938. FIRST EDITION, 8vo., pps 466. Publisher's blue cloth with gilt titles to spine. Half title with the usual toning, spine a touch browned else a clean sharp copy without the scarce jacket. A superior example of the first edition, which comprised only 5000... More
The Atlantic Charter, and the Prime Minister's Statement on Basic English of March 9, 1944; in their original form, and in Basic English, for purposes of Comparison. Presented by the Prime Minister to Parliament by Command of His Majesty, March 1944.
London, His Majesty's Stationary Office, 1944, Pamphlet, 153 x 246mm. 5 pages. Government Document. Near fine. More
The Atlantic Charter, and the Prime Minister's Statement on Basic English of March 9, 1944; in their original form, and in Basic English, for purposes of Comparison. Presented by the Prime Minister to Parliament by Command of His Majesty, March 1944.
London, His Majesty's Stationary Office, 1944, Pamphlet, 153 x 246mm. Government Document. 5 pages, stapled at spine. In near fine condition. More
The Atlantic Charter, and the Prime Minister's Statement on Basic English of March 9, 1944; in their original form, and in Basic English, for purposes of Comparison. Presented by the Prime Minister to Parliament by Command of His Majesty, March 1944.
London, His Majesty's Stationary Office, 1944, Pamphlet, 153 x 246mm. Government Document. 5 pages, stapled at spine. In near fine condition. More
Autograph letter as Member of Parliament for Woodford, 1959.
1959. Typed letter signed and subscribed ("Yours very sincerely, Winston S. Churchill"), to Conservative party activists Mr and Mrs. Double, thanking them for their support during his successful recent election campaign. One page, 8vo, on Chartwell headed paper, October 1959. Lightly handled, twice folded. Fine. At the General Election held... More
contributes 'A Message of Good Cheer' to 'The Listener'.
London, British Broadcasting Corporation, 14th May, 1942. ORIGINAL MAGAZINE PRINTING of this speech, broadcast on Churchill's second anniversary as Prime Minister (May 10th). Subsequently collected in 'The End of the Beginning' volume of war speeches, but under the new title 'Prime Minister for Two Years'. Magazine/Newspaper format, stapled at spine... More
contributes 'The Great Alliance of Free Peoples' to 'The Listener'.
London, British Broadcasting Corporation 11th December 1941. ORIGINAL MAGAZINE PRINTING of this important speech, broadcast on December 8th, confirming Churchill and President Roosevelt's Declaration of War against Japan. Subsequently collected in 'The Unrelenting Struggle' volume of war speeches, but under the new title 'War With Japan'. Magazine/Newspaper format, stapled at... More
The Great War, [The World Crisis].
London: George Newnes, 1933-34. FIRST EDITION IN BOOK FORM, preceded by the 26 serial magazine parts, and constituting the first illustrated edition of Churchill's The World Crisis, with a brand new foreword by the author. In 3 volumes, quarto, with photographic illustrations throughout, issued in various bindings; The 'Library Binding'... More