"If one cannot enjoy reading a book over and over again, there is no use in reading it at all. "
— Oscar Wilde
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
A Collection of Works by Arthur Conan Doyle in 'West End' style bindings.
London: John Murray, 1924-1931. A finely bound collection of Murray editions, all but one published during the author's lifetime. Ten volumes, octavo (19 x 13 x 35cm). In exquisite half tan calf with full gilt backs, twin title labels, buckram sides, top edge gilt, marbled endpapers. Mostly clean within (some... More about A Collection of Works by Arthur Conan Doyle in 'West End' style bindings
The Coming of the Fairies.
New York, NY: George H. Doran, 1922. [Spiritualism] FIRST U.S. EDITION. 1500 copies published. Octavo (21 x 15cm), pp.196. Illustrated with photographic plates. Publisher's mid-brown cloth, lettered in black, with photographic illustration laid down to upper, top edge ochre, others untrimmed. Slight toning, ink note 'hobby room' to flyleaf, same... More about The Coming of the Fairies
![Contributes [to HARPER'S WEEKLY, Vol XXXVII, Nos.1921-2]; 'The Adventures of Sherlock Holmes- The...](/pictures/thumb/46746.JPG?v=1493311000)
Contributes [to HARPER'S WEEKLY, Vol XXXVII, Nos.1921-2]; 'The Adventures of Sherlock Holmes- The Naval Treaty'. ORIGINAL ISSUES IN WRAPPERS (parts 1 and 2, complete).
New York, NY: Harper and Brothers, October 14-21, 1893. FIRST APPEARANCE of this adventure, illustrated by W.H. Hyde, which was later collected in 'The Memoirs of Sherlock Holmes'. Single newspaper issues in pictorial wraps. Internally clean, with the occasional edge-tear. Covers are a little toned, discreet gummed postal label to... More about Contributes [to HARPER'S WEEKLY, Vol XXXVII, Nos.1921-2]; 'The Adventures of Sherlock Holmes- The...
The Crown Diamond. An Evening with Sherlock Holmes. A Play in One Act.
New York, NY: Baskerette Press [The Baker Street Irregulars], 1958. FIRST EDITION in book-form, limited to 59 numbered copies (this being out-of-series). Slim octavo, unpaginated, with woodblock illustrations, two of which are printed in colour. Publisher's black quarter cloth over pink paper-covered boards with title label to upper. Internally very... More about The Crown Diamond. An Evening with Sherlock Holmes. A Play in One Act
The Firm of Girdlestone. A Romance of the Unromantic.
Leipzig: Bernhard Tauchnitz, 1909. [Classic Literature] COPYRIGHT EDITION. Two volumes. Sectodecimo (16 x 12cm), pp.272; pp.270 [2]. Dated 1893 to title page; latest date being October 1909 to rear cover of volume I. Publisher's printed paper wraps. Blue ink stamp of a Florentine book shop to front cover of each... More about The Firm of Girdlestone. A Romance of the Unromantic
The Great Boer War. With Maps.
London: Smith, Elder and Co., 1900. [Military History]. FIRST EDITION. Octavo (21 x 14cm) pp.x; 552; [12], advertisements. Five folding maps, printed in colour. Half dark green morocco with raised bands and gilt titles to spine, cloth sides, edges untrimmed, original spine bound in at rear. Internally clean, one small... More about The Great Boer War. With Maps
The Great Shadow. A Novel.
New York, NY: Harper and Brothers, 1893. FIRST US EDITION. Crown Octavo. pp.[iv]; 218 [2], advertisements, in the second state. In publisher's oatmeal-coloured cloth, blocked in red to spine and upper board. A very good used copy with a few marks and bumps plus some age-related toning. 'The Great Shadow'... More about The Great Shadow. A Novel
His Last Bow. Some Reminiscences of Sherlock Holmes.
London: John Murray. 1917. FIRST EDITION. Octavo, pp. v, 305 [6]. In publisher's original red cloth with gilt titles to spine and upper board. In new matching red cloth jacket with matching gilt titles to spine. A well-handled copy with guttering of front end papers slightly split. Spine faded to... More about His Last Bow. Some Reminiscences of Sherlock Holmes
His Last Bow. Some Reminiscences of Sherlock Holmes.
London: John Murray, 1917. FIRST EDITION. Octavo (20 x 14cm), pp.vii; [1]; 306; [6 of advertisements]. Publisher's red cloth, gilt titles to spine and upper. Some foxing to preliminaries, edges toned, rear endpapers partially split along the gutter, with the binding still sound. Binding slightly bumped and worn to extremities... More about His Last Bow. Some Reminiscences of Sherlock Holmes
The Hound of the Baskervilles.
London: George Newnes, 1902. FIRST EDITION, with associated AUTOGRAPH MATERIAL. Octavo, pp.359. Publisher's red cloth with gilt titles and decoration to spine and front, with a black stylised hound to front. Complete with the required sixteen plates by Sidney Paget. 'The Yew Alley' plate misbound, facing page 162 rather than... More about The Hound of the Baskervilles
The Hound of the Baskervilles.
London: George Newnes, 1902. [Classic mystery]. FIRST EDITION. Crown octavo, pp.[viii]; 359; [1] blank. With 16 illustrated plates by Paget. Handsomely bound in full burgundy oasis morocco, spine gilt-lettered in six compartments with raised bands, gilt centre tool, all edges gilt, marbled endpapers endpapers. A few minor marks within, plate... More about The Hound of the Baskervilles
The Hound of The Baskervilles. Another Adventure of Sherlock Holmes.
Leipzig: Bernhard Tauchnitz, 1905. COPYRIGHT EDITION, later impression. Duodecimo. pp. viii, 270 [32]. In publisher's paper covers with black titles. Final gathering (adverts) loose. Wear and browning to spine, otherwise very good. More about The Hound of The Baskervilles. Another Adventure of Sherlock Holmes
The Land of Mist.
London: Hutchinson, n.d. [1926]. FIRST EDITION, INSCRIBED BY THE AUTHOR. Octavo, pp.294; [26], publisher's adverts. In a recent binding of green full morocco, with raised bands and gilt titles to spine; top edge gilt, green marbled endpapers. Original green cloth front board and spine bound in at rear. Internally clean... More about The Land of Mist
The Lost World. Being an Account of the Recent Amazing Adventures of Prefessor George E. Challenger, Lord John Roxton, Professor Summerlee, and Mr. E. D. Malone of the "Daily Gazette."
London: Hodder and Stoughton, 1912. First Edition, SIGNED BY THE AUTHOR on label. Octavo. pp. vii, 319. With 5 monochrome plates featuring illustrations of dinosaurs and landscapes. Also featuring the clipped signature of Sir Arthur Conan Doyle affixed to the front pastedown. In maroon morocco leather binding of W. Perkins... More about The Lost World. Being an Account of the Recent Amazing Adventures of Prefessor George E....
The Lost World. Being an account of the recent amazing adventures of Professor George E. Challenger, Lord John Roxton, Professor Summerlee, and Mr. E. D. Malone of the "Daily Gazette". New Edition.
London: Hodder and Stoughton, [1914]. LARGE PAPER EDITION. Tall Octavo, pp. 319. With mounted illustrations and colour frontispiece unique to this edition. This is the first issue, bound in light blue gilt-decorated cloth, with blind-stamped dinosaur print to covers, and illustrated endpapers. Internally clean, spine sunned, short frayed tear to... More about The Lost World. Being an account of the recent amazing adventures of Professor George E....
The Lost World. Being an account of the recent amazing adventures of Professor George E. Challenger, Lord John Roxton, Professor Summerlee, and Mr. E. D. Malone of the "Daily Gazette".
London: Hodder and Stoughton, n.d. [1912]. FIRST EDITION. Octavo, pp. (vii) + 319. With photographic portrait frontispiece of members of the expedition, plates and map (complete). Bound in the publisher's pictorial mid-blue cloth with gilt titles to spine and gilt illustration of Challenger to upper, titled and bordered in white... More about The Lost World. Being an account of the recent amazing adventures of Professor George E....
The Lost World. Being an account of the recent amazing adventures of Professor George E. Challenger, Lord John Roxton, Professor Summerlee, and Mr. E. D. Malone of the "Daily Gazette".
London: Hodder and Stoughton, no date [1912]. [Fantasy] FIRST EDITION. Octavo (20 x 13cm), pp.[vii]; 319. With photographic portrait frontispiece of members of the expedition, plates and map (complete). Recent half dark blue morocco with raised bands to spine, red title label, cloth sides. Minor toning to edges, contents clean... More about The Lost World. Being an account of the recent amazing adventures of Professor George E....
The Maracot Deep and Other Stories.
New York, NY: Doubleday, Doran and Company, 1929. FIRST AMERICAN EDITION, FIRST PRINTING. Octavo, pp.307. Publisher's black decorative cloth printed in yellow in the original colourful pictorial dust jacket. A little dusty to top edge but essentially a fine copy of the book. The jacket is faded and browned to... More about The Maracot Deep and Other Stories
The Maracot Deep and Other Stories.
London: John Murray, 1929. FIRST EDITION. Octavo, pp. 310, [10] publisher's advertisements. Publisher's red cloth with gilt titles to front board and spine. Internally clean and bright, with neat ownership inscription to front flyleaf. Spine sunned, small watermark to front board, edges a touch dusty. A team of explorers, led... More about The Maracot Deep and Other Stories
The Maracot Deep. And Other Stories.- The Disintegration Machine, The Story Of Spedegue's Dropper and When The World Screamed.
London, John Murray 1929. FIRST EDITION, 8vo. Publisher's deep pink cloth, titles in gilt to the front board and spine. Including a list of Conan Doyle's works, printed opposite title page, plus 10 pages of advertisements to the back of the text Generally very good; a little toning to text... More about The Maracot Deep. And Other Stories.- The Disintegration Machine, The Story Of Spedegue's Dropper...
Memories and Adventures.
Boston: Little Brown and Company, 1924. FIRST US EDITION. Large Octavo. pp. vii, 410 [2]. With frontisportrait. In publisher's dark green gilt-titled cloth in original dust-jacket. Rather scarce in the jacket. Bookseller ticket 'Chas. E. Lauriat, Boston'. gilt nearly lost from spine titles. Jacket worn with losses to all edges... More about Memories and Adventures
Micah Clarke. His Statement.
London: Longmans, Green, and Co., 1889. FIRST EDITION INSCRIBED PRESENTATION COPY. Octavo (20 x 14cm), pp.vi; 421; [1]; [16 of advertisements]. Publisher's blue cloth blocked in gilt to spine and upper, patterned endpapers. With a card inscribed and signed by Conan Doyle affixed to the pastedown: "R. Hemingsley. | from... More about Micah Clarke. His Statement
The Mystery of Cloomber.
Leipzig: Bernhard Tauchnitz, 1910. [Strange Tales] COPYRIGHT EDITION. Sextodecimo (16 x 12cm), pp.286; [34]. Publisher's printed paper wraps. Dated 1909, with the latest printed date being April 1910 on the rear cover. Blue stamp of a Florentine bookseller to the front cover. Some light rubbing and water marks to spine... More about The Mystery of Cloomber
The New Revelation.
Chicago, IL: The Progressive Thinker, c.1917. Pamphlet, pp. 21. In grey paper covers, with ruled panelling and titles to front cover, rear cover blank. A little rubbed externally, slightly parted at lower joint extending. Green and Gibson, B23: "Notes", p.300. More about The New Revelation
Our Second American Adventure.
Boston, MA: Little, Brown and Company, 1924. [Psychic phenomena] FIRST U.S. EDITION, using British sheets. Octavo (22 x 15cm), pp.250. Publisher's dark green cloth lettered in gilt to backstrip, pale green dust-wrapper printed in red, priced at $3.00. A lovely fine copy of the book (gilt a little dulled) in... More about Our Second American Adventure