1st Edition, signed and inscribed by the author. Blue cloth backed, paper covered boards with a title to the spine, vii,146[2]pp. Signed by the author and inscribed to the front free endpaper, “To Nigel/ from Harold/ “with all piety”/1929. The dedication page also has the dedication to Desmond Harmsworth and Evelyn Waugh crossed out and “To Nigel Richards” inserted by the author. Light rubbing to the spine tips edges and corners with toning and rubbing to the titles label which has minor loss along the top and some marking to the boards. Internally there is a hint of spotting to the free endpapers and light toning to the adjacent page. Harold Acton was a prominent member of the group dubbed ‘The Bright Young Things’ and mixed with many of the intellectual and literary figures of the day, including Evelyn Waugh who based the character of Anthony Blanche in Brideshead Revisited in part on him. The inscribee, Nigel Richards was the basis for the main character in Cyril Connolly’s book, ‘The Rock Pool’ . He was a stock broker who became a tea planter in Burma where his first wife was eaten by a crocodile. Richard’s was killed during World War II when his plane was shot down over Germany. Connolly descrbed him as a ‘doomed romantic, a privileged charismatic man intent on self-destruction and brought down by war, women and wanderlust.’ An excellent signed association copy.