Richard R. Holmes — Queen Victoria

London, Boussod, Valadon & Co, 1897. First edition. Leather. A striking first edition biography on Queen Victoria, written by her librarian Richard R. Holmes. A lovely work from the library of Audrey Pleydell-Bouverie. The first edition of this work.Bound by Zaehnsdorf.A charming biography on the life and reign of Queen Victoria, a wonderful work published towards the end of the reign of one of the most influential British monarchs ever. Focusing primarily on the childhood and youth of Victoria.Illustrated with a colour frontispiece, twenty-five plates, and in-text illustrations.Collated, complete.By Richard Rivington Holmes, the Royal Librarian at Windsor Castle for Queen Victoria.From the library of Audrey Pleydell-Bouverie, from her library at Julians Park, Hertfordshire. After being widowed at 25, Audrey married the fabulously wealthy American department store heir, Marshall Field III, later divorcing him and marrying the Honorable Peter Pleydell-Bouverie. In 1940 she bought Julians Park and redesigned the interior. Her library was impressive, with many examples of her own bookbinding.Audrey was an extravagant socialite and renowned beauty, the illegitimate granddaughter of King Edward VII (though she was also rumoured to be his daughter, or the lover of King Edward VIII), featured in the 'Book of Beauty' by Cecil Beaton. She had many high profile friends, such as Winston Churchill, Coco Chanel, Fred Astaire, and Nancy Mitford, a sparkling hostess of the Edwardian period, her hedonistic antics bringing her into the Bright Young Things. In a half morocco binding by Zaehnsdorf with marbled paper to the boards. Externally, smart. Minor bumping and rubbing to the extremities. A little rubbing to the spine. Spine is a little faded. Internally, firmly bound. Pages are bright and clean. Very Good Indeed . Ill.: Various. Very Good Indeed .