Hardcover, maroon cloth cover, the front cover along with the spine with the text embossed in silver-coloured ink, the front cover featuring an embossed illustration of the Waterloo Medal, entitled "British Battles and Medals" by John Hayward, Diana Birch and Ricahrd Bishop, published by Spink & Son Ltd. of London in 2006, designed and typeset by Columns Design Ltd. of Reading, printed and bound in Great Britain by The University Press at Cambridge, ISBN 1-902040-77-5. It is based on the original "Gordon's British Battles and Medals", a book that is long established as the standard work of reference on British campaign medals. Collectors the world over who are familiar with the previous editions of Major Gordon's much loved work will be pleased to note that the basic, chronological, format of the original 1947 edition, has been retained. This Seventh Edition begins with a list of Contents, followed by a Foreword to this Edition, a Preface to the First Edition (1947), a Preface to the Second Edition (1949), a Preface to the Third Edition (1962), a Foreword to the Fourth Edition (1971), an Editors' Introduction, plus Acknowledgements, and Photographic Acknowledgements. The bulk of the book, consisting of 613 pages, explains in full detail the origins and designs of all 164 medals, the date(s) issued, the regiments, units and/or individuals who were entitled to each, with lists and numbers of ships, regiments and units present during the wide range of conflicts, with comprehensive descriptions of the battles, won or lost. The obverse and reverse of each medal (multiple versions where applicable), is illustrated through the use of clear photographs. It thoroughly documents the various styles of naming, both official and contemporary unofficial styles, along with the types and versions of clasps used for each, with sample photographs of both the naming and clasps. It concludes with eighteen Appendices, which have gathered together a wealth of reference material, including lists and rolls covering some of the most celebrated actions of British Naval and Military history. Among these are to be found complete lists of recipients of Navy and Army Gold Medals and Army Gold Crosses, recipients of the various British and foreign awards for the Crimea War, and nominal rolls such actions as the Charge of the Heavy Brigade casualties, the last charge of a British cavalry Regiment at Omdurman, the Defence of Legations at Pekin in 1900, and those involved in the Yangtze incident of 1949. The book contains 818 pages, printed in black ink, on a satin-finished white paper stock, with two three-panel fold outs illustrating the various ribbons for the medals inserted at the back of the book that are printed in colour on an off-white matte finished paper stock, measuring 197 mm (w) x 275 mm (h) x 50 mm (d), weighing 2.7 kilograms. Scattered spotting on the covers, the pages themselves remaining pristine with the odd exception. Near extremely fine.
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