James Elroy Flecker — The Old Ships

London, The Poetry Bookshop, 1915. First edition. Leather. A very scarce first edition of 'The Old Ships', a poem by James Elroy Flecker published by the Poetry Bookshop. The very scarce first edition, first impression of this work. With the front cover illustration including a ship with a bare-chested mermaid figurehead.Rebound in modern half crushed morocco, with cloth boards and cloth spine label. Retaining the original wraps, which have been bound in.'The Old Ships' contains a series of poems from James Elroy Flecker, whose work was most influenced by the Parnassian poets. The collection includes the titular poem, as well as 'The Pensive Prisoner', 'The Blue Noon' and 'The Gate of the Armies', among others. A publication from the Poetry Bookshop, which operated from 1913-1926 and served to help many living poets bring their work before the public. The Bookshop was supported by Harold Monro and several poets actually made their home there, including Wilfred Owen, Wilfrid Wilson Gibson and Robert Frost. Among the works published by the Bookshop were collections by Charlotte Mew and the Georgian Poetry series as well as Ezra Pound's seminal 1914 anthology Des Imagistes. Rebound in half crushed morocco, with cloth boards and cloth spine label. Retaining the original wraps, bound-in. Externally, very smart, with really only fading to the cloth boards, more-so to the rear. Internally, firmly bound. With scattered spotting throughout. Contemporary ownership inscription to the title page. Small clip to the corner of the original front cover. Very Good Indeed . Ill.: None. Very Good Indeed .