Prester John — Buchan 1928 Illustrated Hardcover

📖 Prester John by John Buchan (1928, Houghton Mifflin) — the illustrated adventure novel that helped shape early 20th-century thriller fiction. This copy features vibrant color plates by Henry Pitz and a school prize inscription from 1934.

QUICK FACTS

• Author: John Buchan
• Publisher: Houghton Mifflin Company, Cambridge
• Year: 1928 (first published 1910)
• Format: Hardcover in cloth boards (no dust jacket)
• Pages: 376 | ISBN: None (pre-ISBN era)
• Condition: full report below

THE STORY

Prester John is a 1910 adventure novel by the Scottish author John Buchan. It tells the story of the young Scotsman David Crawfurd and his adventures in South Africa, where a native uprising under the charismatic black minister John Laputa is tied to the medieval legend of Prester John. The novel combines colonial espionage, tribal uprising, and lost mythologies, paving the way for modern thriller fiction.

THIS EDITION

This 1928 illustrated edition is enhanced by dynamic, full-color plates and dramatic endpapers by Golden Age artist Henry Pitz. Published by Houghton Mifflin Company, it features the original text with decorative illustrations that enhance the adventure narrative.

COVER ART / ILLUSTRATIONS / DESIGN

This image shows the front cover of a vintage hardcover book. The title is “PRESTER JOHN” and the author’s name is “JOHN BUCHAN”. The artwork is a framed illustration of a man on horseback and another man reaching up, set against a cloudy sky. Colors are primarily brownish-tan for the cover, dark blue for the text, and earth tones with blues and whites for the illustration. Condition is good, with minor wear on the edges and spine, but no foxing visible. The spine displays the title, author, and publisher in classic serif font. The endpapers depict a lush jungle scene, as seen in the vision analysis: This photo shows the illustrated endpapers: a detailed, painterly illustration depicting a dense, tropical jungle scene. Colors are dominated by earthy tones — various shades of brown, tan, and ochre — with accents of green from the leaves and a bright white for the sky. No visible text. Condition is good, well-preserved.

WHY IT MATTERS

• Literary Significance: Prester John established John Buchan as a writer of fast-paced adventures in exotic locales, leading to his later fame with The Thirty-Nine Steps.
• Artist Significance: Henry Pitz was a renowned American illustrator and editor, known for his work on over 160 books and his influential book The Brandywine Tradition.
• Collector Appeal: Illustrated editions of early 20th-century literature are sought after; this copy includes a scarce 1934 school prize inscription adding provenance.

FREQUENTLY ASKED

What edition is this? This is the 1928 illustrated edition published by Houghton Mifflin, featuring plates and endpapers by Henry Pitz.

What condition is it in? Overall Grade: Very Good (VG)/Very Good+ (VG+); see full condition report below.

Are the illustrations by Henry Pitz present? Yes, the book includes the full set of color plates and decorated endpapers by Henry Pitz.

FOR COLLECTORS

This copy is a desirable illustrated edition of Buchan’s seminal adventure novel, featuring the artwork of Henry Pitz and a contemporary school prize inscription that offers a glimpse into its early ownership.

#### Condition Report
* Overall Grade: Very Good (VG)/Very Good+ (VG+)
* Cover & Spine: Tan cloth boards with black titling on spine and cover; front pictorial paste-down is clean and vibrant with almost no rubbing. Spine head and tail are bumped with a little surface wear; front board upper corner mildly bumped, rest fairly crisp.  Some surface wear on cloth of spine head and tail and all board corners, but not extensive, and not worn through/frayed.
* Text Block & Pages: Text block edges are lightly toned; interior pages are clean and bright, complete with all color plates intact. Features a neat, calligraphic school prize inscription dated 1934 on the preliminary blank.  No loose, torn or folded pages.
* Binding: Square, tight, and structurally sound; hinges are completely intact and firm.

A very solid, better than typical copy for this type of volume.  Enjoy!

See accompanying images for full condition details. Will ship promptly, carefully packaged.

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