"A book should serve as the axe for the frozen sea within us."
— Franz Kafka

London: Jonathan Cape, 1978. [Spy thriller] UNCORRECTED PROOF COPY of the FIRST EDITION. Octavo (23 x 15cm), pp.250; [2], blank. Bound in salmon-coloured printed wraps, with oversize proof-only dust-wrapper. The jacket artwork is by Raymond Hawkey, who designed the classic 1960s James Bond paperbacks for Pan Books. Rather curiously and..... More
New York, NY: Harcourt Brace Jovanovich, 1975. [Spy thriller] FIRST US EDITION, BIOGRAPHER'S COPY. Octavo (21 x 14cm), pp.282. Publisher's hardback cloth binding in pictorial dust-jacket with artwork is by Raymond Hawkey, priced at $7.95. Slight toning to rear panel; near fine. From the library of the writer, media and..... More
London: Jonathan Cape, 1975. [Spy thriller] UNCORRECTED PROOF COPY of the FIRST EDITION. Octavo (23 x 15cm), pp.224. Bound in salmon-coloured printed wraps, with oversize proof-only dust-wrapper, which curiously lists the provisional publication date as June 12th 1973. The actual release date was January 1975 (this date being printed on..... More
New York: The Red Star News Company, 1937. DETECTIVE FICTION WEEKLY. Magazine format, stapled. A truly exceptional copy of this illustrated detective fiction magazine, with contributions from Sapper (a Bulldog Drummond short story), John K. Butler, Roger Torrey, and many others. A remarkable survival of this 1930s magazine. Paper covers..... More
London: Atlas Publishing and Distributing Co., Ltd., 1954. STREET AND SMITH'S DETECTIVE STORY MAGAZINE. Magazine format, stapled. A truly exceptional copy of this illustrated detective fiction magazine, with contributions from William R. Cox, Day Keene, Don James, and others. Spotlessly clean, with paper covers in glorious, vivid colour. Small chip..... More
London: Atlas Publishing and Distributing Co., 1955. DETECTIVE TALES. Magazine format, stapled. A truly exceptional copy of this illustrated detective fiction magazine, with contributions from William Vance, Arthur J. Burks, Joe Graham, and more. Spotlessly clean, with paper covers in glorious, vivid colour. Appears as new. This gripping collection of..... More
London: Atlas Publishing and Distributing Co., Ltd., 1955. DETECTIVE TALES. Magazine format, stapled. A truly exceptional copy of this illustrated detective fiction magazine, with contributions from William Campbell Gault, Charles Beckman Jr., Margaret Manners, Frank Gruber, and others. Spotlessly clean, with paper covers in glorious, vivid colour. Appears as new..... More
London: Chatto and Windus 1900. Crime collection. First Edition. Octavo, pp.287, no ads (included in some copies). Publisher's light blue pictorial cloth, spamped in colours. Pencil name to flyleaf, some acceptable rubbing to binding, colours a little rubbed/flaked. A very good copy. Donovan's detective was considered a great 'rival' to..... More
London: George Newnes, July 1892 - November 1892. [Literary Magazine]. FIRST APPEARANCES. Four magazines in their original paper covers. Large Octavo (25 x 17cm), pp.xvi; 112; xvii-xx; pp.xvi; 113-220; xvii-xx; pp.xvi; 221-328; xvii-xx; pp.xvi; 441-548 ; xvii-xxiv. Not including the October issue, which did not contain a Detective's Casebook story..... More
London: John Murray, 1954. [Detective fiction] FIRST EDITION. Octavo (19 x 13cm), pp.x; 313. Publisher's red cloth with gilt titles to spine, in pictorial dustjacket. No inscriptions or price-clipping. Jacket with a few chips and tears. A very good copy. A new series of cases for the consulting detective, including..... More
London: Victor Gollancz, 1966. [Mystery] FIRST EDITION. Octavo (18 x 12cm), pp.157; [3], blank. Publisher's red cloth with gilt titles to spine, in an unmistakably restrained yellow Gollancz dust-jacket priced at 18s. Fine in near fine jacket. How Holmes might have solved the infamous Whitehall murders. More
New York, NY: Harper and Brothers, 21st October 1893. FIRST APPEARANCE. The second of two parts, folio. Illustrated by W. H. Hyde. A story later collected in 'The Memoirs of Sherlock Holmes'. In publisher's illustrated paper covers, sewn. Hinges very weak; front nearly loose. Large tear to front cover mended..... More
New York, NY: Harper and Brothers, 15th April 1893. FIRST US APPEARANCE. One magazine issue, folio. Illustrated by W.H. Hyde. A story later collected in 'The Memoirs of Sherlock Holmes'. In publisher's illustrated paper covers; spine sewn. Small contemporary orange ownership sticker to front cover. Hinges very weak, as expected;..... More
New York, NY: Harper and Brothers, June 17, 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
New York, NY: Harper and Brothers, September 16, 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 (40 x 28cm). Disbound or extracted from a hardcover with associated sewing holes to spine..... More
New York, NY: Harper and Brothers, February 11, 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
New York, NY: Harper and Brothers, May 13, 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
Toronto: Hodder and Stoughton, 1914 [1915]. [Crime Fiction] FIRST AMERICAN EDITION, Canadian Issue. Octavo (20 x 14cm), pp.320. With seven dichromatic half-tone plates after drawings by Keller, including a frontispiece. Publisher's red cloth with gilt titles to spine and upper board. A little shaken. Light rubbing to boards with a...... More
London: Smith, Elder and Co., 1908. [Sherlock Holmes Short Stories] NEW EDITION, VARIANT BINDING. Octavo (20 x 13cm), pp.[8]; 403; [1]. Illustrated with a frontispiece and fifteen further plates by Paget. Publisher's blue cloth, simply titled in gilt to spine and upper. Usually seen in the publisher's red cloth, this..... More
London: George Newnes, Ltd., 1905. [Detective mysteries] FIRST EDITION. Octavo (20 x 13cm), pp.[8]; 403; [1]; [4] publisher's advertisements. Publisher's blue cloth, simply titled in gilt to spine and upper. Illustrated with a frontispiece and fifteen further plates by Paget. Contents very clean, mild toning to edges of text block..... More
London: John Murray, 1927. [Detective Fiction] FIRST EDITION. Octavo (20 x 14cm), pp.320. Original red/pink cloth, lettered in gilt. Some foxing to edges, flyleaves toned, bump to rear board, spine sunned with gilt tarnished. Very good. The last of the original Sherlock Holmes books, being twelve cases for the great..... More
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
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
London: Longmans, Green and Co., 1905. [Detective fiction] First Colonial Edition. Octavo (19 x 14cm), pp.[viii]; 403; [1], imprint; [8], advertisements. With a frontispiece illustration by Sidney Paget. Publisher's pictorial light blue-green cloth titled and decorated in gilt and black to the spine and front board, 'swan' patterned endpapers. Some..... More
London: Spencer Blackett, 1890. [Sherlock Holmes] FIRST EDITION. Octavo (20 x 14cm), pp.[4]; 283; [1], bound without advertisements. Publisher's red cloth blocked in black and gilt, neatly respined to style with Spencer Blackett's Standard Library to foot of spine, later black endpapers. With a frontispiece engraving by Charles Kerr, lacking..... More