Bensoniana

London: Arthur L. Humphreys, 1912. 63 pp. 14.5 x 11.5 cm. Red full leather covered boards with titling in gilt; tooling in blind and gilt, top edge gilt, five small sepia toned plates. Two title pages, with one engraved and one printed with title in red. Rubbing to all sides of spine as well as boards and extremities. Some wear to corners. Binding signed "Morrell. Binder. London". Offsetting to edges of endpapers from leather turn-ins. Interior clean aside from a small penciled notation verso of front free endpaper. Binding firm. This uncommon collection of quotes from the works of E.F. Benson has been handsomely bound by the firm of William Turner Morrell in London. In addition to being signed by the binder, the book is also signed on the rear board for the Charles E. Lauriat Company of Boston. Three years after this book was published, Charles Lauriat set sail on the final journey of the HMS Lusitania. When the ship was sinking after being torpedoed by a German U-boat, Lauriat attempted to assist the writer and publisher Elbert Hubbard and his wife Alice. Lauriat was picked up by another boat called the Flying Fish, and later led a mutiny when the captain wouldn't allow those who were rescued to leave the ship until the captain had reported to the proper authorities in what was then Queenstown, Ireland. He wrote "The Lusitania's Last Voyage", which was published later that year.. Hard Cover. Very Good.