MCLEAN, Ruari. Half Seas Under. Bradford on Avon: Thomas Reed. 2001. 8vo. First edition. Publisher’s black cloth lettered in gilt to the spine, in the dust jacket with central design by the author entitled ‘the CO steps ashore’. Association copy, inscribed by the author to his secretary and later close business partner, Fianach Lawry (née Jardine), with two lengthy autographed letters signed relating to the book’s publication. A fine copy, the cloth clean, the binding tight, the contents clean and fine throughout, the dust jacket unclipped (£14.95) and fine but for one small nick to spine foot.
A fascinating volume of autobiography by McLean, second to his ‘True to Type’ (2000), and this one focusing on his wartime experiences as a seaman, submariner, and canoeist. His war started in 1939 as a pacifist, but by Christmas he had changed his mind and joined the Royal Navy. In his five year service, he sailed on or under five oceans, and walked on three continents. He wore seven different kinds of hat, carried (but never used) six kinds of gun and was issued with an Instantaneous Death Tablet. McLean was perhaps the leading typographer of his generation, a multi-disciplined master of the arts with a focus on the history of book production. His work with Fianach Lawry began in the 70s—the pair set up a firm focusing on commission work as broad as newspapers and magazines to shopfronts, and so the association is an important one. The first letter dated 30 Sept. 2001 amusingly refers to McLean settling down to whiskey and his own thoughts only to remember he had just missed that week’s episode of Absolutely Fabulous. The second letter confirms the arrival of one hundred copies of the book to be signed, and McLean expresses his frustration at the paper quality—this merely mortal cataloguer observes no issue. A terrific association copy all in.
MCLEAN, Ruari. Half Seas Under. Bradford on Avon: Thomas Reed. 2001. 8vo. First edition. Publisher’s black cloth lettered in gilt to the spine, in the dust jacket with central design by the author entitled ‘the CO steps ashore’. Association copy, inscribed by the author to his secretary and later close business partner, Fianach Lawry (née Jardine), with two lengthy autographed letters signed relating to the book’s publication. A fine copy, the cloth clean, the binding tight, the contents clean and fine throughout, the dust jacket unclipped (£14.95) and fine but for one small nick to spine foot.
A fascinating volume of autobiography by McLean, second to his ‘True to Type’ (2000), and this one focusing on his wartime experiences as a seaman, submariner, and canoeist. His war started in 1939 as a pacifist, but by Christmas he had changed his mind and joined the Royal Navy. In his five year service, he sailed on or under five oceans, and walked on three continents. He wore seven different kinds of hat, carried (but never used) six kinds of gun and was issued with an Instantaneous Death Tablet. McLean was perhaps the leading typographer of his generation, a multi-disciplined master of the arts with a focus on the history of book production. His work with Fianach Lawry began in the 70s—the pair set up a firm focusing on commission work as broad as newspapers and magazines to shopfronts, and so the association is an important one. The first letter dated 30 Sept. 2001 amusingly refers to McLean settling down to whiskey and his own thoughts only to remember he had just missed that week’s episode of Absolutely Fabulous. The second letter confirms the arrival of one hundred copies of the book to be signed, and McLean expresses his frustration at the paper quality—this merely mortal cataloguer observes no issue. A terrific association copy all in.
