Famous Curses

London: Skeffington & Son, Ltd. , 1929 . First edition. Cloth. Good. 9.5" by 6". None. A scarce, first edition of this collection of chilling short stories surrounding curses, written by Elliott O'Donnell. The first edition. Scarce work. Written by English author Elliott O'Donnell, known predominantly for his ghost stories. O'Donnell claimed to draw on his own experiences with the occult, having seen a ghost as a child. This particular work is comprised of twenty-three ghost stories surrounding curses, many of which are well-known tales from around England. O'Donnell writes of the curses of Sherborne Castle, Battle Abbey and Corfe Castle, as well as depicting the curses associated with different people, such as 'A King's Curse' and 'The Peasant Boy's Curse'. Illustrated with ten striking monochrome plates. Lacking the plates to face page 144 and 192. In the publisher's original cloth. Externally, sound, with bumping to the extremities and light rubbing to the cloth. The odd mark to cloth and a few small tears to the joints. Boots bookseller label to the front paste down. Hinges are a little strained, but holding. Internally, generally firmly bound, with the odd page strained. Ink inscription of M. L. Leslie to the title page. Pages are generally bright and clean, with light spotting and the occasional handling mark. Lacking the plates to page 144 and 192, with tape reinforcing the margins of plates to pages 80 and 120. Plate to page 80 has been bound to page 75. Good