Barbar's Friend Zephir

An inscribed copy of De Brunhoff's fable given by Winston Churchill's wife Clementine Churchill to their grandson, Nicholas Soames, as a fourth birthday present. The inscription on the verso of the title page reads: 'Darling Nicholas Lots of Love for his Birthday from Granny. 1952'. The book is complete although the first few pages have come loose. Nicholas Soames, now an MP himself, is the oldest son of Winston Churchill's youngest daughter, Mary Spencer Churchill, later Mary Soames. His father Christopher Soames was an important figure in Churchill's last two decades and had just become MP for Bedford when this gift was made. Winston and Clementine Churchill's marriage was a long and happy one despite their frequent quarrels and she proved an affectionate mother and doting grandparent as demonstrated by this charming choice of birthday gift. The book remained in the collection of Baroness Soames for several decades and was acquired as part of a collection sold by the family. Please contact Christian White at Modernfirsteditions for more information about this volume or a substantial number of other titles with Churchillian provenance.