1933-1939 Nine Signed Novels by Taffrail

Description

Author's Presentation Copy, First Edition, Publishers' Original Binding, Signed

The first editions, first impressions of nine thrilling naval novels by British sailor, author, and journalist Captain Henry Taprell Dorling, who wrote under the name Taffrail.

Each of these works of fiction is inscribed to Mrs. Mitchell, Taffrail's long-serving secretary who typed up a great many of his works, something he frequently mentions in his inscriptions to her.

Each volume features the front wrap of the publisher's original dust wrapper pasted to the rear pastedown, and portraits of the author and newspaper reviews tipped in to the rear free endpaper.

With a signed photograph of two men standing on the deck of a ship, signed by the author and dated 1940. The man on the left of the photograph, smoking a pipe, is the author.

Present here are:

'The Man from Scapa Flow' (1933), 'for Mrs Mitchell who typed it from Taprell Dorling who wrote it, 18 Oct 1933'. With a handwritten note from the author to Mitchell to the rear free endpaper, reading 'thank you so much for the last two chapters. I have sent off the whole book to the publisher. It will be out in the autumn with the name 'The Man from Scapa Flow'. You shall have a copy in due course'.

'Seventy North' (1934), 'to the lady who typed it and saw it through the press - Mrs Mitchell from the grateful author'.

'Second Officer' (1935), 'to Mrs Mitchell who typed it & made many helpful suggestions'.

'Mid-Atlantic' (1936), 'for Mrs Mitchell who typed and revised it, from the grateful author'.

'Mystery at Milford Haven' (1936), 'Mrs Mitchell from the author'. A very scarce and highly desirable first edition.

'Mystery Cruise' (1937), 'Mrs Mitchell who typed it'.

'Operation M.O.' (1938), 'for Mrs Mitchell, who typed it & gave it much good advice, from the author'.

'The Shetland Plan' (1939), 'signed by the author Taprell Dorling 'Taffrail'.

'Fred Travis, A.B,' (1939), 'for Mrs Mitchell, who typed it'.

With the bookplate of "The Mitchell's - Nithsdale" to a number of volumes.