[Binding, Fine] World Without End

London: William Heinemann, 1931. First Edition. First Edition. 7 x 5 inches. A beautiful, technically precise binding with an attractive all-over gilt-tooled design on both covers in full red crushed morocco with border of leafy sprays, small dots and inlaid dark green flowers all tooled in gilt around title and lines of gilt leaves on front and back covers. The binding also features a longitudinal display with similar design motif on the spine with vertical title and leafy tendril in gilt, turn-ins with similar flowers, leaves & dots in gilt. Helen Thomas (1877-1967) was the daughter of the journalist James Ashcroft Noble. She met the poet Edward (truncated) Thomas in 1894 and married him in 1899, while he was still an undergraduate student at Oxford University. Helen wrote her first memoir of their life together, "As It Was," in 1926, and followed it with "World Without End," in 1931. Unsigned, but a gorgeous design. All edges gilt. A little rubbed at edges with light wear to spine ends, old library stamp on last leaf. Near fine. (Inventory #: 6864)