ROBINSON, Sir J[ohn] C[harles] (1824-1913). The Dead Sailor and Other Stories. London: Kegan Paul, Trench, and Co., 1889. 8vo. [i-v], vi, [vii-viii], [1-3], 4-149, [2, blank]. Publisher's blue-green cloth beveled and lettered in gilt. FIRST EDITION PRESENTATION COPY OF THIS SCARCE VOLUME BY THE SURVEYOR OF THE QUEEN'S PICTURES, INSCRIBED ON THE HALF-TITLE "WITH THE AUTHOR'S KIND REGARDS."

Sir John Charles Robinson is better remembered as an important art collector and curator, listing among his accomplishments the purchase of Piero Della Francesca's Baptism in 1860, and his role as the Surveyor of the Queen's Pictures from 1880 to 1901. This collection represents his sole work of fiction, gathering together four classic ghost stories: "a sample of many, mostly forgotten tales, invented and told offhand for the amusement of children and friends." A rare presentation copy. 

Rubbing to boards, light soiling, loss to bottom spine block, corners edge worn, fraying at extremities. Ex-libris blind stamp to front fly leaf, minor paper loss to black endpapers, hinge starting, occasional edge wear. Very good.