16th Mar, 2024 10:00
Fine Art & Antiques
Sold for £27,000
Mao Zedong (1893-1976) – On Protracted War, 1938 first volume (part one), a rare original signed Chinese publication of Mao’s lectures regarding the war with Japan, which were undertaken in May and June 1938 at the Yenan Association for the Study of the War of Resistance Against Japan, bearing Mao’s signature to the front page, 98 numbered pages followed by errata page, with fold-tables for Anti-Japanese strategies and defence (between pages 42 & 43 and 44 & 45), in white paper wrapper, approx. size 150mm x 200mm, folded pages uncut to the bottoms and bound together with a large staple to one edge and glued spine, the paper cover lacking most of spine and bearing price $0.20, sold with a signed letter from author and Secretary of the British Communist Party’s International Department Jack Woddis (1914-1980) dated 1950 and stating “Dear Mr. Beeson, Many thanks for the seven guineas. I enclose a copy of Mao Tse-Tung's "Protracted War" with his signature written on the side of the cover. I am sure that this signed book will be a rare acquisition on your part, and I can assure you that the seven guineas will be put to good use in promoting Anglo-Chinese friendship. Yours sincerely, Jack Woddis”.
Notes:
Mao Zedong / Tse-tung, also known as Chairman Mao, was the Communist revolutionary founder of the People’s Republic of China, which he led as chairman of the Chinese Communist Party from 1949 until his death in 1976. During the early part of the Chinese Civil War (begun in 1927), Mao was appointed commander-in-chief of the Red Army and developed guerrilla tactics influenced by the works of ancient military strategists such as Sun Tzu. After the Manchurian Incident of 1931 and full-blown Japanese invasion in 1937, Mao’s troops allied with their former enemies to form a united front against the Japanese. From his base in Yan'an, Mao authored several texts for his troops, including Philosophy of Revolution, which offered an introduction to the Marxist theory of knowledge; Protracted Warfare (this volume), which dealt with guerrilla and mobile military tactics; and On New Democracy, which laid forward ideas for China's future.
Jack Woddis (1914-1980) was the British-born son of Polish Jewish emigree who had fled the pogroms of the Imperial Russian Empire. He joined the Communist Party Hendon branch in 1937 and went on to write extensively about neo-colonialism and internationalism. He worked as secretary of the Communist Party’s International Department for many years as well as being a member of the executive and various political committees.
The volume was purchased by the vendor’s grandfather, who is described by them as having had very “left-wing sympathies”. It has stayed in the family since the original purchase in 1950, and was only re-discovered amongst other papers recently after the vendor’s father passed away.
Refer to department for guide price
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