Author: Captain Chamier [Frederick Chamier]
Title: The Spitfire, a Tale of the Sea
Description: London, Henry Colburn, 1840 . First edition. Cloth. The very scarce first edition of popular nineteenth century novelist Frederick Chamier's nautical tale, which expertly combines authenticity with melodrama. The very scarce first edition, complete in three volumes. A second edition, also vanishingly scarce, was published in the same year as this first edition.This novel draws inspiration from the author's own experiences at sea, where he served as a naval captain in the Napoleonic Wars and the War of 1812.The story centres on the titular ship, HMS Spitfire, and follows the exploits of its officers and crew during the Napoleonic Wars.Chamier was a personal friend of Lord Byron.Lacking the first text leaf of volume I, being the leaf immediately following the title page, and containing pages 1 and 2 of text.With the label of R. Cottle's Circulating Library, Basingstoke, to each front board, and with their bookplate listing their terms to each front pastedown. In full cloth bindings, with circulating library labels to front boards. Loss to centre of label to volume II front board, with small tide mark to head of this board. Bumping and small losses of cloth to back strip heads and tails. Rear joint heads and tails starting, as our tails of front boards of volumes I and III, with boards holding firm. Library bookplates to front pastedowns. Internally, firmly bound. Pages bright, with significant handling marks to page perimeters, and the odd spot. Lacking the first text leaf of volume I, being the leaf immediately following the title page, and containing pages 1 and 2 of text. Good . Ill.: None. Good .

Keywords: nautical romance Frederick Chamier Tom Bowling Life of a Sailor Frederick Chamier None


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