THE STORY OF THE ROYAL SOCIETY OF THE ARTS, by G. K. Menzies (George Kenneth Menzies, Secretary to the Royal Society of Arts).

Published by John Murray, London, 1935. First edition.

SPECIAL FINE BINDING by ZAEHNSDORF, LONDON. Full blue morocco leather with gilt embossed titling to the front cover and spine, five raised spine bands, top edges gilt, gilt turn-ins, decorated endpapers, 7.5x10 inches, 71 pages plus a Foreword and tipped in Presentation and Signature pages. Zaehnsdorf's imprint is on the inside front cover on the bottom turn-in.

PRESENTATION COPY. Presented to G. K. MENZIES on his retirement from the Society. A special tipped in Presentation Page warmly thanks Menzies for writing the Story of the Society and for his service to the Society as Secretary: "We, the Council of the Royal Society of Arts, ask your acceptance of this specially bound copy of the admirable history which you so generously undertook on behalf of the Society...We feel a sense of real regret that we are losing your services as Secretary..." This Presentation Page is SIGNED by five members of the Council, including John A. Milne, Chairman.

Following the Presentation Page are two pages with TWENTY-FIVE SIGNATURES of some of the notable members of The Society. Most I cannot decipher, the ones I can (though please forgive any mistakes) include:

John A. Milne (John Alexander Milne, b.1880 d.1952). John Milne was Chairman of the Royal Society of Arts. He was awarded the Society's Albert Medal in 1940 for services to Industrial Art. In 1932, as Chairman of the Council, he conceived and created the Exhibition of British Art in Industry, held in 1935 in collaboration with the Royal Academy. This was the first exhibition of its kind.

P. Z. Cox (Major-General Sir Percy Zachariah Cox, GCMG, GCIE, KCSI, KBE, DL b.1864 d.1937). P Z. Cox was a British Indian Army officer and Colonial Office administrator in the Middle East. He was one of the major figures in the creation of the current Middle East.

Tom Purvis, b.1888 d.1959. Purvis was a British painter and commercial poster artist. His work was part of the art at the 1928 Summer Olympics and the 1932 Summer Olympics.

Henry Tizard (Sir Henry Thomas Tizard GCB AFC FRS b.1885 d.1959). Tizard was an English chemist, inventor and Rector of Imperial College. He was at the beginning of developments that helped change and shape the world. In 1944 Tizard won the Royal Society of Arts' Albert Medal for work in aeronautics and services to advanced Technical Education. He joined a glittering roll-call of winners, including Marie Curie, Guglielmo Marconi, Sir Frank Whittle, Christopher Cockerell, Barnes Wallis, Stephen Hawking and Tim Berners-Lee.

E. A. Tandy (Colonel Commandant E.A. Tandy, R.E.). E. A. Tandy was the Surveyor General of India.

Humphrey Legget (Major Sir Humphrey Leggett D.S.O.)

Who knows who else is to be discovered among the yet to be deciphered signatures?

VERY GOOD CONDITION: the covers' upper corners have a light bend and the top edge of the front cover has a small indent, otherwise just lightly used, tight, bright, clean, clear and unmarked. A lovely copy.

A SCARCE and UNIQUE PRESENTATION COPY from the ROYAL SOCIETY OF ARTS.

About the Royal Society of Arts (from Wikipedia):

******The Royal Society for the Encouragement of Arts, Manufactures and Commerce, commonly known as the Royal Society of Arts (RSA), is a London based organization.

The RSA's mission expressed in the founding charter was to "embolden enterprise, enlarge science, refine art, improve our manufacturers and extend our commerce", but also of the need to alleviate poverty and secure full employment.

Notable Fellows include Charles Dickens, Benjamin Franklin, Stephen Hawking, Karl Marx, Adam Smith, Marie Curie, Nelson Mandela, David Attenborough, Judi Dench, William Hogarth, John Diefenbaker, and Tim Berners-Lee. Today, the RSA has fellows elected from 80 countries worldwide.******