Versailles, Treaty of — David Lloyd George's copy

Treaty Respecting Assistance to France in the Event of Unprovoked Aggression by Germany, signed at Versailles, June 28, 1919. London: 1919. [Bound with:] Memorandum Circulated by the Prime Minister on March 25th, 1919. London: 1922. [With:] Conditions de Paix / Conditions of Peace, 2e Tirage. N.p., [1919]

3 volumes bound in 2, folio (13 1/4 x 8 3/4 in.; 336 x 222 mm) and 8vo (9 1/2 x 5 7/8 in.; 241 x 150 mm). First title with 5 and last title with 4 large folding maps; some marginal soiling. Green morocco, gilt-stamped titles on upper cover, original printed blue wrappers bound in at the end, the last title in original printed wrappers with oval stamp of the "British War Cabinet, Villa Majestic, Paris," and inscribed at the top "Prime Minister"; soiled, some fraying to edges, a few leaves bumped or creased. Together in a green half-morocco slipcase.

Mrs. Philip D. Sang (sale, Sotheby's New York, 27 March 1985, lot 120)

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First editions, the Treaty and the Memorandum from David Lloyd George's library, the Memorandum signed by him ("D Lloyd George") on front cover, Treaty with his bookplate.

A fine association copy of one of the twentieth century's most pivotal agreements, creating countries where none existed before, placing full blame for the war on Germany, and providing for the creation of the League of Nations, all acts whose consequences we are still trying, a century later, to sort out.

David Lloyd George, elected Prime Minister of England in 1916, represented that country at the conference, and the present copies of the Treaty and the Conditions contain his pencilled underlining and marginal checks and reference numbers on about fifteen pages.