Caveat emptor, as they say. We recently made a considered purchase of what I regarded to be a deliberate “fake”, by persons unknown, of a volume from what is known as the “Clouds Hill library”. These being the books that were in TE’s cottage at the time of his death in 1935. We purchased this to have in our collection an example of just such an item as it has a certain curiosity value in its own right and makes for a good exemplar.
The volume in question purports to be the presentation copy of “All Our Yesterdays” by H. M. Tomlinson. The problems that I note regarding this volume are: 1. incorrect bookplate; 2. suspicious and weak inscription; 3. in just too good a condition. It is too bright and clean and “Clouds Hill” books rarely have dust wrappers. Would you agree with this assessment? The actual “Clouds Hill” copy may be out there somewhere. Do you have it perhaps?
I write here as a warning that such items are in the market place, but of course the collector must always decide for themselves if an item is genuine or not! It is well known that these volumes are catalogued in some detail, indicating publishing points and other features, in “T.E. Lawrence by His Friends” published in 1937 shortly after TE’s death. Indeed this section of the volume may lend itself to being used as a kind of “faker’s bible”.
The actual books were mainly widely dispersed by A.W. Lawrence and the majority bear a small, retro fitted, bookplate to identify them as coming from Clouds Hill. However, there are books around with a “fake” or ”second state” bookplate, possibly prepared by a bookseller. I have had through my hands the same title, one with a correct bookplate and the other with a “second state” or “fake”. I have never come across a book with provenance containing the “fake” plate. In our possession is a fine set of original photographs of the interior of Clouds Hill taken shortly after TE’s death. The exciting thing is, these are so clear that very occasionally and with the aid of a magnifying glass, we can spot the title on the shelf. Not that this necessarily identifies the actual volume, unless it is in a special binding, such as a volume recently sold at Bonhams. So one generally needs additional marks of provenance or the correct Clouds Hill bookplate.
“Fake” bookplate 
Genuine bookplate
A further thing to add here, is that A.W. Lawrence retained a few of the books, only disposing of them many years later when he was living near Pateley Bridge in Yorkshire and these do not have the Clouds Hill bookplate, but can usually be identified by other means of provenance and possibly the presence of a pencilled “TEL” or in books acquired after 1923 a “TES”. We know the titles of some of these books and have some details, but again it is caveat emptor. Three examples below are of the initials contained in books lacking any bookplate, the two on either side are taken from a notebook of the A.W. Lawrence books, the centre image is a first edition of D.H. Lawrence’s “The White Peacock.
The catalogue in “Friends” is substantially complete, indicating the books present in Clouds Hill at the time of TE’s death. A copy of the 1937 “Friends” formerly in the possession of A.W. Lawrence contains pencil notes of a very few omissions and later communication from A.W. indicated that the 1926 “Seven Pillars” was removed for security reasons prior to the catalogue being compiled.
For more information on this topic view our earlier Blog below. T.E. Lawrence, Clouds Hill bookplates and Jacob Schwartz We will be delighted to hear thoughts and comments.