Woman and her Car

Small 8vo., publisher’s original cloth boards, printed in black and red with the cover image showing a woman driving an open touring car under an arbor of trees; lower board with ad for tyres; pp. [vii], 8-75, [iii]; + [xxi] pages of ads to rear showing photographs of various cars which are ‘suitable for women to drive’; one colour plate to face p. 10 as called for, as well as numerous other tables, illustrations and diagrams in line throughout; a very good, clean copy, boards a little rubbed and some darkening/pushing to spine; some light internal toning and spotting mostly affecting the outer edges of the text block. 

A wonderful copy of this early work devoted solely to the female motorist. Sections include ‘choosing the car’, ‘engaging a chauffeur’ and ‘learning to drive’, with additional comments on hill starts, as well as suggestions for touring the continent and driving in Paris. Though of course ironic that such a guide was written by a man, Henslowe had been commissioned to write the book by the women’s periodical, ‘The Gentlewoman’, which often reported on female motoring activity including the activities of the London-based Ladies’ Automobile Club.

Undated, but with institutional holdings assigning dates between 1914 and 1916. The lack of reference to wartime service or conditions suggests the earlier of these two margins.  

Surprisingly scarce, with just 4 copies located in the UK, and 2 in the US.  

SKU: 1800178