"Hungry man, reach for the book: it is a weapon. "
— Bertolt Brecht
Raymond Chandler | First Editions
1888 - 1959
Raymond Thornton Chandler (July 23, 1888 – March 26, 1959) was a British-American novelist and screenwriter. At the age of forty-four, Chandler became a detective fiction writer after losing his job as an oil company executive, during the Great Depression. In addition to his short stories, Chandler published seven novels during his lifetime (an eighth, in progress at the time of his death, was completed by Robert B. Parker). All but Playback have been made into motion pictures. In 1958, Chandler was elected president of the Mystery Writers of America.
Chandler had an immense stylistic influence on American popular literature. He is considered to be a founder of the hard-boiled school of detective fiction, along with other Black Mask writers. Three of Chandler's works have long been considered masterpieces: Farewell, My Lovely (1940), The Little Sister (1949), and The Long Goodbye (1953). The Long Goodbye was praised in an anthology of American crime stories as "arguably the first book since Hammett's The Glass Key [...] to qualify as a serious and significant mainstream novel that just happened to possess elements of mystery".
See below our stock of Raymond Chandler First Editions, fine bindings, and signed copies.
Results 1 - 23 (of 23)
Chandler Before Marlowe: Raymond Chandler's Early Prose and Poetry, 1908-1912.
Columbia, SC: University of South Carolina Press, 1973. [Posthumous anthology] LIMITED FIRST EDITION. Octavo (22 x 15cm), pp.xviii; 110. With a frontispiece of the author. Number 167 of 499 copies. Publisher's red quarter faux leather with gilt titles to spine and mottled cream paper over boards. Matching cream endpapers; all..... More
Killer In The Rain. Being: Killer in the Rain; The Man who liked Dogs; The Curtain; Try the Girl; Mandarin's Jade; Bay City Blues; The Lady in the Lake; No Crime in the Mountains. With an Introduction by Philip Durham.
Boston: Houghton Mifflin, 1964. [Modern literature] FIRST US EDITION. Octavo (22 x 15cm), pp.[2]; xii; [2]; 394; [6]. Publisher's blue cloth, white titles to upper and spine. With the pictorial dust-jacket designed by Rob Howard priced at $5.50 to front flap. Light pencil annotations here and there. Gentle wear to..... More
Killer in the Rain. Being: Killer in the Rain; The Man who liked Dogs; The Curtain; Try the Girl; Mandarin's Jade; Bay City Blues; The Lady in the Lake; No Crime in the Mountains. With an Introduction by Philip Durham.
London: Hamish Hamilton, 1964. [Crime stories] FIRST UK EDITION. Octavo (22 x 15cm), pp.332. Publisher's red cloth in pictorial dust-wrapper designed by John Andrew priced at 21s. Contents clean and fresh, no incsriptions, virtually invisible owner stamp to endpaper (almost missed it!), jacket slightly dusty to rear. Near fine. First..... More
The High Window.
New York, NY: Alfred A. Knopf, 1942. [Detective Fiction] FIRST EDITION, first impression. Octavo (20 x 14cm), pp.[10] 240 [6]. Publisher's brown cloth with darker brown titles to spine and upper. Moderately toned throughout, otherwise clean. Some toning and light wear to spine. Very good. The third Phillip Marlowe detective..... More
The Little Sister.
London: Hamish Hamilton, 1949. [Thriller] FIRST EDITION, first impression. Octavo (20 x 13cm), pp.256. Elegantly hand bound in half burgundly calf over contrasting black cloth-covered sides, gilt lettered to spine in six compartments, original cloth spine bound at rear. Contents clean, exterior unmarked. A fine copy in an attractive recent..... More
The Little Sister.
London: Hamish Hamilton, 1949. [Thriller] FIRST EDITION, first impression. Octavo (20 x 13cm), pp.256. Publisher's red cloth, gilt titles to spine, pictorial dust-jacket designed by C.W. Bacon, priced at 8s. 6d. net. Contents clean, no inscriptions. Very good, in a good-only jacket with sizeable loss to spine, joints rubbed, some..... More
The Little Sister.
London: Hamish Hamilton, 1949. [Thriller] FIRST EDITION, first impression. Octavo (20 x 13cm), pp.256. Publisher's red cloth with gilt titles to spine. With the dust-jacket designed by C.W. Bacon, priced at 8/6. Small blue ink note to fly-leaf, otherwise internally crisp and clean, with an associated newspaper clipping loose to..... More
![Item #71497 The Long Good-bye [Goodbye]. Raymond CHANDLER](https://harringtonbooks-co-uk.cdn.bibliopolis.com/pictures/71497.jpg?width=320&height=427&fit=bounds&auto=webp&v=1742491269)
The Long Good-bye [Goodbye].
London: Hamish Hamilton, 1953. [Detective novel] LEATHER-BOUND TRUE FIRST EDITION, first impression, preceding the US edition by one year. Octavo (19 x 13cm), pp.[2] 320 [2]. Recently rebound in red half calf, with raised bands and gilt titles to twin black labels to spine, and marbled paper over boards. All..... More
![Item #74221 The Long Good-bye [Goodbye]. Raymond CHANDLER](https://harringtonbooks-co-uk.cdn.bibliopolis.com/pictures/74221.jpg?width=320&height=427&fit=bounds&auto=webp&v=1769446809)
The Long Good-bye [Goodbye].
London: Hamish Hamilton, 1953. [Detective novel] TRUE FIRST EDITION, preceding the US edition by one year. Octavo (19 x 13cm), pp.319; [1]. Bound in publisher's brown, illustrated dust-jacket designed by Fritz Wegner, priced at 10s. 6d. A lovely clean copy of the book with no spotting or inscriptions. Jacket has..... More
The Long Goodbye.
Boston, MA: Houghton Mifflin Company, 1954. [Crime Thrillerl] FIRST US EDITION, first impression. Octavo (22 x 15cm), pp.[4] 316. Publisher's green and blue cloth, with dark green titles to spine and upper. Top edge green. With the dust-jacket illustrated by Walter H. Lorraine. Minor blue ink price to fly-leaf, otherwise..... More
The Long Goodbye.
Boston, MA: Houghton Mifflin Company, 1954. [Crime Thrillerl] FIRST US EDITION, first impression. Octavo (22 x 15cm), pp.[4] 316. Publisher's green and blue cloth, with dark green titles to spine and upper. Top edge green. With the dust-jacket illustrated by Walter H. Lorraine. Black ink ownership of Maurice J. Barry..... More
Playback.
London: Hamish Hamilton, 1958. [Crime fiction] FIRST UK EDITION, First Impression. Octavo (19 x 13cm), pp. 208. Publisher's red cloth in dust jacket priced at 12/6. No inscriptions. Contents clean, one mark to fore-edge, bright jacket is a little rubbed to spine tips, neatly re-touched to reverse side as show..... More
Playback.
London: Hamish Hamilton, 1958. [Crime fiction] FIRST UK EDITION, First Impression. Octavo (19 x 13cm), pp.208. Publisher's red cloth in typographic dust-jacket priced at 12/6. Discreet name beneath flap. A very good copy of the book in like wrapper with some rubs/creases, chipped to spine. Shows well. The true first..... More
The Black-Eyed Blonde. A Philip Marlowe Novel.
New York, NY: The Mysterious Bookshop / Henry Holt, 2014. [Detective mystery] SIGNED LIMITED EDITION. Octavo (24 x 16cm), pp.[xii]; 290; [4]. Limited to 100 copies SIGNED by the author in black ink to limitation page. Publisher's quarter black leatherette with gilt titles to spine and marbled paper over boards..... More
![Item #68250 [James Bond novels] Group of Anthologies and Omnibus editions, with entire or partial...](https://harringtonbooks-co-uk.cdn.bibliopolis.com/pictures/68250.jpg?width=320&height=427&fit=bounds&auto=webp&v=1715704027)
[James Bond novels] Group of Anthologies and Omnibus editions, with entire or partial content from Ian Fleming. Comprising The Spy's Bedside Book (1957), To Catch A Spy (1965), Reader's Digest Condensed Books (1966), Three Great Adventure Stories (1972), Great Stories of Mystery & Suspense (1977), Dr. No & From Russia, With Love (1984), James Bond 007 (1988), Octopussy & 007 In New York (2008), Quantum of Solace (2008).
UK/USA: various, 1957-2008. [Spy stories] 10 volumes, octavos. First editions or first editions thus (Bedside Book and Three Great Adventure Stories are second printings). Various publisher bindings in hardback or softcovers. Contents clean, one has a bookplate, one with owner name, one with owner stamp, jackets lightly are handled, one..... More
Contributes 'My Monte Carlo System' to Encore; The Sunday Times Book.
London: Michael Joseph, 1962. [Literary Anthology] FIRST EDITION. Large Octavo (23 x 16cm), pp.488. Publisher's blue cloth with original pictorial dust-jacket priced at 25s. Contents clean, edges slightly toned, no inscriptions. The jacket is simply exceptional having been protected by a custom-made red cloth outer cover, with gilt titles to..... More
Contribute 'A Golfing Nightmare' and 'The Terrible Dr. No' to Encore; The Sunday Times Book, Second Year. Edited by Leonard Russell.
London: Micheal Joseph, 1963. [Literary articles/essays/anecdotes] FIRST EDITION. Large octavo (24 x 16cm), pp.406. Publisher's red cloth, top edge blue with original pictorial dust-jacket priced at 25s. Discreet initials to endpaper, jacket clipped otherwise a particularly fine, fresh copy. Outstanding. A collection of outstanding articles contributed to the Sunday Times..... More
Contribute 'A Golfing Nightmare' and 'The Terrible Dr. No' to Encore; The Sunday Times Book, Second Year. Edited by Leonard Russell.
London: Micheal Joseph, 1963. [Literary articles/essays/anecdotes] FIRST EDITION. Large octavo (24 x 16cm), pp.406. Publisher's red cloth, top edge blue with original pictorial dust-jacket priced at 25s, and original WRAPAROUND BAND, promoting two large colour prints accompanying the book (not present). The band is clearly marked 'Encore 2' on rear..... More
Contribute 'A Golfing Nightmare' and 'The Terrible Dr. No' to Encore; The Sunday Times Book, Second Year. Edited by Leonard Russell.
London: Micheal Joseph, 1963. [Literary articles/essays/anecdotes] FIRST EDITION. Large octavo (24 x 16cm), pp.406. Publisher's red cloth, top edge blue with original pictorial dust-jacket priced at 25s. Contents clean, no inscriptions, some spotting to edges, wrapper is dusty with a few small nicks, spine age-toned. Very good. A collection of..... More
![Item #66612 For Bond Lovers Only [The Files on that Man]. Ian FLEMING, Raymond, CHANDLER, Allen,...](https://harringtonbooks-co-uk.cdn.bibliopolis.com/pictures/66612.jpg?width=320&height=427&fit=bounds&auto=webp&v=1713433477)
For Bond Lovers Only [The Files on that Man].
London: Panther Books, 1965. [James Bond reference] FIRST PRINTING. INSCRIBED COPY Octavo (17 x 11cm), pp.175; [1] advertisement, with 48 full-page plates. A Paperback original, with photographic softcovers. With presentation note by Peter Evans, whose interview with Len Deighton appears within; 'Edward // I am so excited about / your..... More
![Item #72569 For Bond Lovers Only [The Files on that Man]. Ian FLEMING, Raymond, CHANDLER, Allen,...](https://harringtonbooks-co-uk.cdn.bibliopolis.com/pictures/72569.jpg?width=320&height=427&fit=bounds&auto=webp&v=1753979057)
For Bond Lovers Only [The Files on that Man].
London: Panther Books, 1965. [James Bond reference] FIRST PRINTING. Octavo (17 x 11cm), pp.175; [1] advertisement, with 48 full-page plates. A Paperback original, with photographic softcovers. Contents clean, no ink names, cheap paper stock lightly toned (as expected), soft reading crease to spine. A fine copy. A superb selection of..... More
![Item #73312 For Bond Lovers Only [The Files on that Man]. Ian FLEMING, Raymond, CHANDLER, Allen,...](https://harringtonbooks-co-uk.cdn.bibliopolis.com/pictures/73312.jpg?width=320&height=427&fit=bounds&auto=webp&v=1759504310)
For Bond Lovers Only [The Files on that Man].
New York: Dell Publishing, 1965. [James Bond reference] FIRST U.S. PRINTING. Octavo (17 x 11cm), pp.175 [1] advertisement, with 48 full-page plates. A Paperback original, with photographic softcovers, priced at 60c, all edges green. Cheap paper stock toned as expected, discreet bookstore stamp and ink date to margin of first..... More
![Item #74855 For Bond Lovers Only [The Files on that Man]. Ian FLEMING, Raymond, CHANDLER, Allen,...](https://harringtonbooks-co-uk.cdn.bibliopolis.com/pictures/74855.jpg?width=320&height=427&fit=bounds&auto=webp&v=1774719106)
For Bond Lovers Only [The Files on that Man].
London: Panther Books, 1965. [James Bond reference] A paperback original. This is the revised second printing from June 1966 with the alternative cover design in colour -the August 1965 printing has a black and white cover. (18 x 12cm), pp.175 + [1] advertisement, with 48 full-page plates. Minor spine roll..... More
Results 1 - 23 (of 23)