LEWIS, C. S.
 
A collection of art books, owned by the godson of C. S. Lewis. Gifted and signed by C. S. Lewis over a period of several years during the Second World War.
 
Description
 
First edition Phaidon art books: Vermeer, Cezanne, Bellini and Raphael.
Previously owned and gifted to Laurence Harwood OBE by way of book tokens from C. S. Lewis. Laurence Harwood was the godson of C. S. Lewis, and the son of Lewis’ great friend, A. C. Harwood. Both father and son remained life long friends of C. S. Lewis.
One of the books bearing the original book token, inscribed by Lewis for his godson and sent as a gift.
The collection is referenced in Laurence Harwood’s talk at The C. S. Lewis Society of California, on October 10th, 2012.
In his talk, Laurence Harwood reflects on a letter addressed by Lewis to his mother, which read, ‘I should be very foolish if I gave any advice as to books for Laurence. If I felt qualified to choose books, I should send books and not book tokens.’ Directly to which, Harwood adds, ‘I have in my possession some wonderful Phaidon art books as a consequence of him sending book tokens every Christmas to me.’
All books excepting the one with the attached and signed book token are ownership inscribed by Harwood. The ownership inscriptions vary in the matureness of Harwood’s hand, indicative of the several year period of receiving the book token gifts.
Provenance: Laurence Harwood OBE (1933-2020), regional director, National Trust, son of Cecil Harwood, and godson of C. S. Lewis, noted as 'one of the few remaining people who really knew C. S. Lewis' (Deborah Higgens, A Personal Tribute to Laurence Harwood, OBE, C. S. Lewis Foundation).