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Landships II -> Landships WW1 Forum -> References -> Stern First Edition.
Post Info TOPIC: Stern First Edition.
James H


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Stern First Edition.
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My auction-attending pal (the one who pointed out the Swinton plaque) has returned from a sale with a gift for me. Well, he wants the money for it, but he bought it on the assumption that I'd be interested.

It's a first edition of Tanks 1914-18 by A.G. Stern, signed by him. He obviously presented it to a colleague, and inside is the following inscription in Stern's handwriting:

To my friend and colleague of the Mechanical Warfare Department A.P. Griffiths, in memory of happy days of hard work for the (illegible).

Albert Stern, May 1920.

Anyone know who Mr. Griffiths was?



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Tim R


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Hello James

 I don't know who Mr.Griffiths is, I would like to. But S#@t you are lucky!!wink

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Tim R.

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James H


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I know. I'm immensely grateful to my mate.

The book is nearly 2" thick, 296 pages (though not much to a page), and in marbled board covers with a black spine and gold lettering. On the shelf it looks like a Bible, which I suppose . . . .

I'm not much given to this sort of thing, but I've been sitting holding it, picturing it in Stern's hands, and thinking about where it's been in the last 88 years.

The last page is a plan of the golf course where the trials were held, with cross-sections of the dummy trenches. Oddly enough, there's a technical spec that describes the armament as 2 6pdrs and Three automatic rifles (1 Hotchkiss and 2 Madsen).

I'm reluctant to scan it because it would mean flattening it out and I don't want to risk it. If anyone needs any info, pls let me know.

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Mark Hansen


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You could use a digital camera instead of scanning.

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Tim R


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All I can say is AWESOME!!crying.gif

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Tim R

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Gwyn Evans


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Mark

I have a recent paperback facsimile edition, but I'd much rather have yours!

The book is dedicated "To My Staff", so I would imagine that Stern gave a copy to everyone who was on his staff, and Griffiths was one of these.

Gwyn

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James H


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Mark Hansen wrote:

You could use a digital camera instead of scanning.


Doh! Of course. Ta.

Haven't been this pleased since Manchester City won something.



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ken musgrave


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Man City won something?

-- Edited by ken musgrave at 12:16, 2008-06-16

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Peter Kempf


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You lucky dog!

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James H


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My indolent friend has finally returned my camera. It doesn't seem to be quite the camera it used to be. Nonetheless, I have been able to photograph the inscription from Albert Stern to Mr. Griffiths. The word I couldn't read before seems to be "author".

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Centurion


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Is this your book? http://www.maggs.com/title/MI20481.asp. Have you re sold it? Or is more than one with this inscription?



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James H


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That must be it. My mate bought it at a book auction somewhere in the Midlands in June, along with stuff signed by W.G. Grace and suchlike.

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Centurion


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James H wrote:

 My mate bought it at a book auction somewhere in the Midlands in June, along with stuff signed by W.G. Grace and suchlike.


Odd, Maggs are a London bookshop. They buy at auction but I've never heard of them selling that way.


-- Edited by Centurion at 18:30, 2008-09-05

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James H


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I'm not aware of its provenance, but it clearly seems to have been in Maggs's possession at some point. I can't imagine AGS would sign two identical inscriptions to the same bloke. My mate bought it at an auction in Worcester, apparently. Maybe someone died and their effects were auctioned.

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