Beschreibung:

LAWRENCE, T.E. Crusader Castles , edited by A.W. Lawrence, London: The Golden Cockerel Press, 1936. 2 volumes, 8°, titles printed in red, collotype frontispiece in volume II, collotype and engraved facsimiles, illustrations, maps and plans, some coloured, after Lawrence, 2 folding maps after H. Pirie-Gordon contained in a loosely-inserted envelope (very light marginal browning), original red crushed half morocco by Sangorski & Sutcliffe, the spines gilt with the title and press device (spines a little faded, covers slightly darkened and marked), t.e.g., others uncut. Provenance : Harkness (pencilled inscription on upper pastedowns and map envelope). FIRST EDITION. LIMITED TO 1,000 COPIES, THIS NUMBER 722 OF 1,000. Chanticleer 122; Clements pp.27-28; O'Brien A188-189. Originally written in 1910 as an undergraduate thesis based on researches in Britain, France and the Near East, Lawrence revised, amended and enlarged Crusader Castles after his graduation, but never published it. The present, first edition was edited by his brother from Lawrence's annotated typescript and other sources, and added letters written by Lawrence to his family during his research journeys. 'Lawrence's thesis in this work is counter to the accepted view that improvements in military architecture had been brought back from the Near East by the Crusaders: he believed rather that the improvements had been developed in Europe and taken by the Crusaders to the Near East. This is a discussion not yet entirely settled' (O'Brien). (2)