Mapp and Lucia. de BENSON, E. F - 1931

London: Hodder and Stoughton,, 1931. A great rarity in the dust jacket First edition, first impression, of this scarce comical classic, in the exceedingly rare dust jacket: we can trace no other jacketed copies in auction records. "It was a bold stroke to risk the clash of Titans" of Miss Mapp and Mrs Lucas, who collided for the first time in this novel "and who had now reached the apogee of their absurdity" (Masters, p. 275). Provenance: from the collection of the Rolling Stones drummer Charlie Watts (1941-2021), with his posthumous bookplate. Octavo. Original blue cloth, spine and front cover lettered in black. With supplied dust jacket. Housed in custom blue cloth folding box by the Chelsea Bindery. Spine faded, small mark to top edge and spot to opening leaves, otherwise clean; unclipped jacket rubbed and soiled, signs of partial cleaning, central tear to toned spine with minimal loss, small chips, closed tears to edges, one extending halfway along rear flap, some early paper tape reinforcements on verso: a very good copy in the rare jacket. Brian Masters, The Life of E. F. Benson, 1991.