Winston Churchill's "Storia," Signed

We just acquired a new set of books with an interesting provenance. These are the first Italian editions of Winston Churchill’s A History of the English-Speaking Peoples, titled Storia in Italian. The set is signed in Volume II by Churchill. The books were owned by Emery Reves, the literary agent and close friend to Churchill. Reves contributed greatly to the success of the work in a wider, international audience. 

Emery Reves (1904-1981) established an independent press service called the Cooperation Press Service and Publishing Company, known for its strong anti-Nazi stance. In 1937, Reves became Winston Churchill’s literary agent, using his press company to place Churchill’s articles on current world events in major newspapers across Europe. What began as a profitable business partnership between the two grew over time into an enduring and close friendship.