I have been in the rare and antiquarian book business for over forty years; my family has been in the rare books business since 1876. Rare books are in my blood.
I specialize in buying and selling only the finest copies of the finest rare books in the world.
Meticulous scholarship, ethical conduct, fair dealing, and the highest level of discreet, personal service are our core values from which we shall never waver.
DOYLE, A[rthur] Conan. The Return of Sherlock Holmes. Illustrated by Sidney Paget. London: George Newnes, 1905.
First English edition of the third collection of Sherlock Holmes stories (preceded by the first American edition by about one month). Small octavo (7 x 4 1/2 inches; 177 x 114 mm.). [8], 403, [1, printer's imprint], [4, advertisements] pp. Sixteen plates (including frontispiece).
Bound by Bayntun-Rivière (stamp-signed in gilt on front turn-in) in full royal blue crushed morocco. Gilt double-rule border on covers, spine panelled and lettered in gilt in compartments, board edges and turn-ins ruled in gilt, all edges gilt, marbled endpapers. Original blue cloth front cover bound in at end. Tiny marginal repair to final leaf of text. Still, a fine copy.
"The author was persuaded to revive Sherlock Holmes by the generous offers made by the proprietors of the American magazineHaving decided to write a new series, the author took care to preserve the integrity of his fictional character. I would not write a Holmes story without a worthy plot, without a problem which interested my own mind, for that is a requisite before you can interest any one else.' The main problem was the plotThe plots did come and thirteen stories were written, among them some of the most interesting in the whole series" (Green and Gibson, pp. 140-141).
The thirteen stories are: "The Adventure of the Empty House," "The Adventure of the Norwood Builder," "The Adventure of the Dancing Men," "The Adventure of the Solitary Cyclist," "The Adventure of the Priory School," "The Adventure of Black Peter," "The Adventure of Charles August Milverton," "The Adventure of the Six Napoleons," "The Adventure of the Three Students," "The Adventure of the Golden Pince-Nez," "The Adventure of the Missing Three-Quarter," "The Adventure of the Abbey Grange," and "The Adventure of the Second Stain."
Green and Gibson A29a.
Price: $0
(To order this item, or for more information, please call 818-222-4103)
