FLOWER, Newman (1879 – 1964). George Frideric Handel. London: Cassell & Company, 1923. 4to, 59 plates (occasional mild spotting). Original blue cloth titled and illustrated in gilt (some minor wear). ASSOCIATION COPY from Newman Flower to Thomas Hardy: "To Mr and Mrs Thomas Hardy in friendship from Newman Flower". Provenance: Thomas Hardy ([Ex-Libris plate]: " From the Library of Thomas Hardy, O.M.. Max Gate). An old annotation in pencil comments: "...purchased from his library May 1938". [With]: ALS tipped in on front pastedown from a previous owner [name undecipherable] discussing that Sir Dan Godfrey borrowed the work and found it "...most interesting and instructive...last Sunday afternoon he had Mr Williams- formerly secretary to the late Dame Clara Butt, down to his house to read certain portions of it to Sir Granville Bantock...Fanny Holland's son, Mr Haw completed the appreciative quartet".