CHURCHILL, Sir Winston (1620-1688) - photo 1

CHURCHILL, Sir Winston (1620-1688)

Lot 59
21.10.2022 10:30UTC +00:00
Classic
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£ 1 386
AuctioneerCHRISTIE'S
Event locationUnited Kingdom, London
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ID 829434
Lot 59 | CHURCHILL, Sir Winston (1620-1688)
Estimate value
£ 500 – 800
CHURCHILL, Sir Winston (1620-1688)

Divi Britannici: being a remark on the lives of kings of this isle, from the year of the world 2855 unto the year of grace 1660. London: Thomas Roycroft, 1675.

First edition, inscribed by the author, and later presented to his descendent Clarissa Spencer-Churchill on the occasion of her marriage to Anthony Eden. Sir Winston Churchill, father to the first Duke of Marlborough, was a Royalist who wrote this history while living in seclusion during the Commonwealth. Duff Cooper, in his long gift inscription, suggests the author presented this book to John Jeffreys, the only son of George Jeffreys, Lord Chancellor (1645-1689), who oversaw the trials at the Bloody Assizes of 1685. However, George’s son would have been very young – he was baptised in 1673 – so the John Jeffreys in question might be either George’s father (1608-1691, a fellow Royalist in the Civil Wars), or perhaps more likely John Jeffreys (c.1659-1715), alderman and MP for Marlborough.



Cooper notes that the second Earl of Abingdon (1673-1743), whose bookplate appears in this volume, ‘was also connected with the Churchill family, taking, as his second wife, the widow of General Charles Churchill, Marlborough’s mother’. Cooper also states that Clarissa’s mother was a daughter of the seventh Earl of Abingdon, ‘which is another reason the book should belong to her.’ Wing C4275.



Folio (354 x 210mm). First edition, title printed in red and black with engraved vignette, woodcut initials and headpieces, engraved illustrations (some light soiling). Late 18th-century calf (rebacked, preserving original spine, lower cover detached, rubbed). Provenance: Sir Winston Churchill (1620-1688; authorial presentation inscription on title ‘ex dono Authori’, to:) – John Jeffreys (probably the alderman and MP for Marlborough, c.1659-1715; ink ownership inscription on title) – Montagu Venables-Bertie, 2nd Earl of Abingdon (1673-1743; armorial bookplate dated 1701) – Duff Cooper (1890-1954, politician, diplomat and historian; presentation inscription to:) – Clarissa Spencer-Churchill.





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Place of origin:Northern Europe, Europe, United Kingdom
Auction house category:Printed books
Address of auction CHRISTIE'S
8 King Street, St. James's
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United Kingdom
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21.10.2022 – 21.10.2022
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