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Major, Norma : Chequers: The Prime Minister's Country House And Its History

HarperCollins, New York, 1997

ISBN 000470875X

272pp. B&W and Color Illustrations. Small printed name sticker on front endpaper. DJ price clipped. Written by the wife of a Prime Minister who had unprecedented access to the house as well as to its spectacular collection of paintings, furniture and decorative arts, Square 4to, Fine in Fine DJ

MAJOR**, NORMA: : CHEQUERS: THE PRIME MINISTER'S COUNTRY HOUSE AND ITS HISTORY.**

LONDON.HARPER COLLINS,1996.

ISBN 000470875X.

UK,rectangular Qrto HB+dw/dj,1st edn.[Wife of UK,ex-Prime Minister.] FINE/FINE.A neat, ink gift presentation inscrptn [Christmas 1996] - majority of which is hidden by dw/djs' inner flap - to top corner of front pastedown,dw/dj with price-clip.Bright, crisp,clean,glossy laminated,colour photographic illustrated dw/dj; with negligible shelf-wear and creasing to edges - no nicks or tears present.Top+fore-edges bright and clean, contents bright,tight and pristine - no dog-ear reading creases to any pages' corners - possibly an unread copy? Publisher's original,unblemished, clean,sharp-cornered,original plain brown cloth boards with bright,crisp,blocked gilt letters to spine/backstrip,a brown+gold headband,and immaculate beige endpapers.UK, rectangular [approx 11" tall x 10" wide] Qrto,8-272pp [paginated] + stained glass window vignette colour photographic illustrated half-title page,colour photographic scenic frntis (front of the house from the gates),title page,a dedication,colour photographic illustrated,double-page contents list/ table,an introduction,4 Pts,profuse contemporary b/w+colour photographs, illustrations throughout the text and the book,a biblio,photographic credits,and an index. CHEQUERS is one of Britain's most familiar yet least known country houses. Indeed,many people would struggle to summon up an accurate image of what it looks like or even where it is.As the country seat of the British Prime minister it is not open to the public and few photographs,until now, have been available.In this substantive new appreciation of the house and its history, Norma Major opens the door and takes the reader on a guided tour of one of the country's most interesting national treasures. Beginning with the development of the Chequers Estate and the building of the main house in the 16thC,the book goes on to look at the different families and people who have lived there,including Lady Mary Grey who was imprisoned there,Frances Cromwell (daughter of Oliver Cromwell) and,more recently,Ruth and Arthur Lee who restored the house and donated it to the nation.Since that time,Chequers has taken a centre-stage position in Prime Ministers' public and private lives and has been the backdrop for many important and vivid moments of 20thC politics. From her unique position as the Prime Minister's wife,Mrs Major has had unprecedented access to the house as well as to its spectacular collection of paintings,furniture and decorative arts. She has also had the opportunity to talk to past Prime Ministers and their families about how they used the house and the changes that they made during their occupancy. A superb series of specially commissioned photographs by Mark Fiennes - one of Britain's leading architectural photographers - shows how the magnificent interiors look today (then 1996) and provides intriguing comparison with early photographs from the Chequers archives. Norma Major's personal appreciation of one of the country's most fascinating national treasures.See also my book ID rja27277 for a SIGNED example of this title and see also rja25247 for her husband's SIGNED book 'MORE THAN A GAME - THE STORY OF CRICKET'S EARLY YEARS'.[Author SIGNED copy.] and also his autobiography rja485214 and rja684317 both UK,SIGNED,1st edns. Please contact seller,because of the heavier weight - in excess of 1.75Kg unpackaged - and value of this item,for correct,insured shipping/P+p quotes - particularly ALL overseas buyers - BEFORE ordering through the order page! ** N.B. ALL buyers please note,stocks' actual shipping/P+p costs are adjusted and any difference is refunded,after order's receipt and before the order's despatch, especially if the item(s) are offered either P+p included/FREE. ** N.B. US/Canada customers please be aware: Standard AIRMAIL postage from UK to these destinations can now cost more than the price of the book! If speed is not of the essence,then Economy rate is recommended - at approx. anything from a 1/3rd to 1/2 of the standard AIR quote/rate - sometimes arriving sooner than the 42 days - but not always.

UK,rectangular Qrto HB+dw/dj,1st edn.
Not SIGNED.

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