"A book should serve as the axe for the frozen sea within us."
— Franz Kafka
Sir Arthur Conan Doyle | First Editions
1859 - 1930
British writer, physician knighted for medical services during the South African War and creator of Sherlock Holmes, the best-known detective in literature and the embodiment of sharp reasoning. Doyle himself was not a good example of rational personality- he believed in fairies and was interested in occultism. When his son Kingsley died from wounds incurred in the Great War, Doyle dedicated himself to spiritualistic studies. An example of these is the rather bizarre and quite touchingly credulous The Coming of Fairies (1922), but he had already showed interest in occult fantasy prior to Holmes and his early novel, The Mystery of Cloomber (1888), concerns a retired general under assault by Indian magic. Doyle supported the existence of 'little people' and spent more than a million dollars on their cause (by 1920 Doyle was one of the most highly paid writers in the world). The so-called 'fairy photographs' caused an international sensation when The Strand published Doyle's favourable account of them in 1920. The photographs showed fairies dancing in the air, but a year later, The Star newspaper reported that the fairies were from a poster. Doyle became president of several important spiritualist organizations and in 1925 he opened the Psychic Bookshop in London. Among his friends was the legendary American magician and escape artist Harry Houdini (1874-1926). Doyle believed that Houdini possessed supernatural powers, which the magician himself denied. Another friend was D.D. Home, whom the author claimed could levitate. Doyle recorded his own psychic experiences in his final book The Edge of the Unknown (1930).See below our stock of Arthur Conan Doyle First Editions, fine bindings, sets, signed copies, and other collectible material.
Arthur Conan Doyle Collection at the Toronto Public Library
Arthur Conan Doyle
The Sherlock Holmes Society of London
Arthur and George.
London: Jonathan Cape, 2005. [Historical Mystery] SIGNED FIRST EDITION, first impression. Octavo (24 x 16cm), pp.[6] 360 [2]. SIGNED by the author in black ink to the title page. Publisher's olive cloth decorated in black and titled in white to spine and upper. With the original printed paper band to..... More
![Item #73855 [POSTER SET] Sherlock Holmes in The Strand: Abbey Grange. The Man With the Twisted...](https://harringtonbooks-co-uk.cdn.bibliopolis.com/pictures/73855.jpg?width=320&height=427&fit=bounds&auto=webp&v=1765819957)
[POSTER SET] Sherlock Holmes in The Strand: Abbey Grange. The Man With the Twisted Lip. The Hound of the Baskervilles. The Valley of Fear. in The Strand Magazine.
London: City of Westminster Libraries, Sherlock Holmes Collection, 1987. [Literary Poster / advertising] FACSIMILE POSTER CARDS SET. Four colour reproductions of originals held in the Marylebone Library Sherlock Holmes Collection. On card, each measures 30 x 21cm. Fine, as-new, in the original stiff card envelope. Ideal for framing. Westminster Libraries..... More
Strange Secrets.
New York, NY: R.F. Fenno & Co., [1896]. [Supernatural/Gothic horror] FIRST US EDITION, second issue, EX LIBRIS VINCENT STARRETT. Octavo (20 x 14cm), pp.287; [1], blank. Publisher's blue cloth over boards, blocked in gilt and black, sewn endbands. Bookplate of renowned Sherlockian authority Vincent Starrett (1886-1974). Contents clean, no inscriptions..... More
Harper's Weekly, Vol. XXXVII, No. 1895, [The Adventures of Sherlock Holmes - The Gloria Scott].
New York, NY: Harper and Brothers, 15th April 1893. [Detective story] FIRST AMERICAN APPEARANCE of this adventure, illustrated by W.H. Hyde, which was later collected in 'The Memoirs of Sherlock Holmes'. Single newspaper issue in pictorial wraps (41 x 29cm). Disbound or extracted from a bound volume, with associated wear..... More
Harper's Weekly, Vol. XXXVII, No. 1907, [The Adventures of Sherlock Holmes; The Crooked Man].
New York, NY: Harper and Brothers, 8th July 1893. [Detective story] FIRST AMERICAN APPEARANCE of this adventure, illustrated by W.H. Hyde, which was later collected in 'The Memoirs of Sherlock Holmes'. Single newspaper issue in pictorial wraps (41 x 29cm). Subscriber ticket to front cover. Disbound or extracted from a...... More
Harper's Weekly, Vol. XXXVII, No. 1917. [The Adventures of Sherlock Holmes - The Yellow Face].
New York, NY: Harper and Brothers, February 11th, 1893. FIRST AMERICAN APPEARANCE of this adventure, illustrated by W.H. Hyde, which was later collected in 'The Memoirs of Sherlock Holmes'. Single newspaper issue in pictorial wraps (41 x 29cm). Disbound or extracted from a hardcover with associated wear to the spine..... More
Round the Fire Stories.
London: Smith, Elder, and Co., 1908. [Mystery tales] FIRST EDITION, first impression. Octavo (20 x 14cm), pp.[8] 372 [4]. With a halftone frontispiece by Andre Castaigne. Publisher's red cloth, gilt titles to upper board and spine, gilt illustration to upper. Advertisements to rear. Contents clean with just a few small..... More
Round the Fire Stories.
New York, NY: The McClure Company, 1908. [Mystery tales] FIRST U.S. EDITION. Octavo (20 x 14cm), pp.[viii]; 356; [4], blank. With a frontispiece illustration by A.Castaigne. Publisher's pictorial red cloth, blocked in black and gilt. Contents clean, no ink names, minor bleed from cloth to margin of final few leaves..... More
A Study in Scarlet. The First Book about Sherlock Holmes.
London: Ward, Lock and Co., 1911. [Detective Fiction] VINTAGE EDITION. Octavo (20 x 14cm), pp.xx; 224; [16]. With four half-tone plates including a frontispiece, ten full-page and other frequent in-text illustrations, all by George Hutchinson. Publisher's blue cloth with gilt titles and decorative blind stamping to spine and upper board..... More
The Valley of Fear. A Sherlock Holmes Novel.
New York, NY: George H. Doran Company, 1914. [Detective fiction] TRUE FIRST EDITION, prior to UK first printing, which was not illustrated. Post octavo (21 x 15cm), pp.320. With seven full-page illustrations by Arthur I. Keller, including the frontispiece. Publisher's red cloth blocked in gilt to spine and upper. Housed..... More
![Item #67996 The Adventures of Sherlock Holmes [and] The Memoirs of Sherlock Holmes. With...](https://harringtonbooks-co-uk.cdn.bibliopolis.com/pictures/67996.jpg?width=320&height=427&fit=bounds&auto=webp&v=1715099347)
The Adventures of Sherlock Holmes [and] The Memoirs of Sherlock Holmes. With illustrations by Sidney Paget.
London: George Newnes Ltd., 1892 and 1894. [Detective short stories] FIRST EDITIONS, first issues. Two volumes. Quarto (24 x 17 x 8cm), pp.[4] 317 [3]; pp.[8] 279 [1]. 'Adventures' features the misprint 'Violent Hunter' for 'Violet Hunter' p.317, l.23, and shows no street name on the sign on the front..... More
The Hound of The Baskervilles.
London: George Newnes, 1902. [Sherlock Holmes] FIRST EDITION, first impression. Octavo (20 x 14cm), pp.viii; 359 [1]. Illustrated with 16 black and white half-tone plates, including a frontispiece, by Paget. Publisher's red cloth blocked in gilt and black to upper, and in gilt to spine, to a design by Alfred..... More
The Hound of The Baskervilles.
London: George Newnes, 1902. [Sherlock Holmes] FIRST EDITION, first impression. Octavo (20 x 14cm), pp.viii; 359 [1]. Illustrated with 16 black and white half-tone plates, including a frontispiece, by Paget. Publisher's red cloth blocked in gilt and black to upper, and in gilt to spine, to a design by Alfred..... More
The Return of Sherlock Holmes.
London: George Newnes Ltd., 1905. [Detective short stories] FIRST EDITION, first impression. Octavo (20 x 13cm), pp.[8] 403 [5]. With 16 black and white illustrated plates, including a frontispiece, by Paget. Publisher's blue cloth with gilt titles to spine and upper. Fly-leaf cancelled, with some netting exposed to upper hinge..... More
The Valley of Fear.
London: Smith, Elder & Co., 1915. [Sherlock Holmes] FIRST EDITION, first impression. Octavo (20 x 14cm), pp.[8] 306 [6]. With a black and white frontispiece illustrated by Wiles. Publisher's red cloth with gilt titles to spine and upper. Housed in an attractive marbled-paper covered slipcase. Contents clean, edges and endpapers..... More
The Valley of Fear.
London: Smith, Elder & Co., 1915. [Sherlock Holmes] FIRST EDITION, first impression. Octavo (20 x 14cm), pp.[8] 306 [6]. With a black and white frontispiece illustrated by Wiles. Publisher's red cloth with gilt titles to spine and upper. Recently re-cased, with front fly-leaf cancelled, and remains of a bookplate to..... More
The Valley of Fear.
London: Smith, Elder & Co., 1915. [Sherlock Holmes] FIRST EDITION, first impression. Octavo (19 x 13cm), pp.[8] 306 [6]. With a black and white frontispiece illustrated by Wiles. In a secondary or private contemporary binding of mid green cloth decoratively blocked in black, with green endpapers. A little spotting to..... More
The Case-Book (Case Book) of Sherlock Holmes.
New York: George H. Doran Company, 1927. [Short mysteries] FIRST EDITION, First impression (with colophon to copyright). Crown octavo (19 x 14cm), pp.320. Original mustard cloth blocked in red (the earliest binding). No inscriptions, contents clean, some shelfwear, minor fraying to spine ends. The Final Holmes book. This is the..... More
contributes to...'THE STRAND MAGAZINE'. No.31, ORIGINAL ISSUE IN WRAPPERS. 'The Adventures of Sherlock Holmes- The Crooked Man', July 1893.
London: George Newnes Ltd., 1893. [Detective mystery] This issue contains the FIRST APPEARANCE of 'The Adventure of The Crooked Man' by Doyle, later published as the seventh story in 'The Memoirs of Sherlock Holmes'. Original issue magazine format, approx. 9.5 x 6.5 inches with pictorial covers, illustrated throughout, all advertisement..... More
contributes to...'THE STRAND MAGAZINE'. No.31, ORIGINAL ISSUE IN WRAPPERS. 'The Adventures of Sherlock Holmes- The Cardboard Box, January 1893.
London: George Newnes Ltd., 1893. [Detective mystery] This issue contains the FIRST APPEARANCE of controversial Holmes story 'The Adventure of The Cardboard Box', which was suppressed by the author and not included in the contemporaneous book-form printing of 'The Memoirs of Sherlock Holmes'. Original issue magazine format, approx. 9.5 x...... More
contributes to...'THE STRAND MAGAZINE'. No.367, ORIGINAL ISSUE IN WRAPPERS. 'Sherlock Holmes on the Film', July 1921/
London: George Newnes Ltd., July 1921. [Detective mystery reference / early cinema] This issue contains the FIRST APPEARANCE of 'Sherlock Holmes on the Film' Original issue magazine format, approx. 9.5 x 6.5 inches with pictorial covers, illustrated throughout. A crisp clean copy with two chips to spine ends. Near fine..... More
![Item #73070 Contributes [to HARPER'S WEEKLY, Vol XXXVII, No.1890]. [The Adventures of...](https://harringtonbooks-co-uk.cdn.bibliopolis.com/pictures/73070.jpg?width=320&height=427&fit=bounds&auto=webp&v=1758039630)
Contributes [to HARPER'S WEEKLY, Vol XXXVII, No.1890]. [The Adventures of Sherlock Holmes - The Stock-broker's Clerk].
New York, March 11, 1893. [Detective story] FIRST AMERICAN APPEARANCE of this adventure, illustrated by W.H. Hyde, which was later collected in 'The Memoirs of Sherlock Holmes'. Single newspaper issue in pictorial wraps (41 x 29cm). Disbound or extracted from a bound volume, with associated wear to the spine fold..... More
![Item #73069 Contributes [to HARPER'S WEEKLY, Vol XXXVII, No.1912]. [The Adventures of...](https://harringtonbooks-co-uk.cdn.bibliopolis.com/pictures/73069.jpg?width=320&height=427&fit=bounds&auto=webp&v=1758039630)
Contributes [to HARPER'S WEEKLY, Vol XXXVII, No.1912]. [The Adventures of Sherlock Holmes - The Resident Patient].
New York, August 12, 1893. [Detective story] FIRST AMERICAN APPEARANCE of this adventure, illustrated by W.H. Hyde, which was later collected in 'The Memoirs of Sherlock Holmes'. Single newspaper issue in pictorial wraps (41 x 29cm). Disbound or extracted from a bound volume, with associated wear to the spine fold..... More
His Last Bow. Some Reminiscences of Sherlock Holmes.
London: John Murray, 1917. [Detective Fiction] LEATHER-BOUND FIRST EDITION, First Impression. Octavo (19 x 14cm), pp.viii; 305; [7]. Elegantly hand-bound in burgundy morocco with twin black title labels lettered in gilt, matching cloth sides, sewn headbands, edges trimmed clean, original cloth covers preserved at rear. Contents clean, without the usual..... More
The Land of Mist.
London: Hutchinson and Co., [no date] 1926. [Literature] FIRST EDITION. Octavo (20 x 13cm), pp.294; 23, publisher's advertisements, [1]. Publisher's green cloth lettered in green to upper board and spine. Ex-libris stamp front paste-down, toning to edges of textblock, rolling to spine, wearing to spine ends, bumping to corners. Very..... More