Bidspirit auction | 1934-1948. A Trio of Modern

1934-1948. A Trio of Modern Library Hardcover Books. Virgil, Thucydides, Aquinas. (DJ) - A trio of mid-century hardcover books from the Modern Library series, published by Random House, Inc. and The Modern Library, New York. The collection includes Virgil’s Works (1934), The Complete Writings of Thucydides (1934), and Introduction to St. Thomas Aquinas (1948). Each volume is bound in publisher’s red cloth with a black-stamped title block on the spine featuring gold-stamped lettering. The front boards are decorated with an impressed torchbearer logo within a rectangular border. Virgil’s Works features translations by J. W. Mackail and an introduction by Charles L. Durham. The title page bears the Modern Library logo and identifies the publisher as The Modern Library, New York. The copyright page states Introduction Copyright, 1934. The volume contains extensive handwritten marginalia and underlining in pencil throughout the text, including notes such as Golden Age prophecy and Greeks rush in, slaughter everyone. The Complete Writings of Thucydides presents the Crawley translation and includes a multi-page, four-color fold-out map titled THE GREEK WORLD at the beginning of the PELOPONNESIAN WAR 431 B.C. The copyright page states Copyright, 1934, by The Modern Library, Inc. and credits the frontispiece map to Myers’ Ancient History. Introduction to St. Thomas Aquinas is edited by Anton C. Pegis and carries a 1948 copyright by Random House, Inc. The copyright page includes a printed Imprimatur by James C. Cardinal McGuigan, Archbishop of Toronto, dated January 23, 1948. The half-title page features a handwritten graphite inscription reading Barracks E 12- 8:00 morning Monday- Friday-. All volumes retain their original illustrated dust jackets. The endpapers of each book feature a repeating grey and white pattern of stylized books and the torchbearer logo. The collection shows wear consistent with scholarly use and age. Virgil’s Works: The dust jacket has significant chipping at the head and foot of the spine and along the top edge of the front panel (photo 21). The interior contains heavy pencil marginalia and underlining on multiple pages (photos 25, 27, 28). The Complete Writings of Thucydides: The dust jacket has a large closed tear on the front panel (photo 12) and significant loss to the paper at the top of the spine (photo 14). The internal fold-out map appears intact with minor creasing at the folds (photo 17). Introduction to St. Thomas Aquinas: The dust jacket shows light staining and edge wear (photo 2). A handwritten schedule is present on the half-title page (photo 6). General shelf wear is visible to the cloth corners and spine ends of all three volumes where exposed.