presentation copy to Dame Edith Sitwell

With the author's signed presentation inscription to the front free endpaper, 'To Dame Edith Sitwell, with best wishes from "Michael Underwood" September 1961'. The quotation marks denote Underwood to be a pseudonym: the author's real name being John Michael Evelyn. Evelyn was in fact a barrister.

First edition, first impression. Presentation copy to Edith Sitwell. 8vo. Publisher's burgundy boards, device to upper board in blind, titles to spine in yellow. With the pictorial dust jacket. Some partial browning to the terminal leaves, a near-fine copy in the price-clipped dust jacket.