Doyle, Sir Arthur. The Sign of Four. London Spencer Blackett 1890
First Edition in book form, first issue, with foot of spine reading "SPENCER BLACKETT'S Standard Library." 8vo; [4], 283, [1, blank]pp. Frontispiece by Charles Kerr, with tissue guard. No publisher's ads at end (according to Green and Gibson, not essential), with the numeral "138" on the contents page incomplete and reading "13," as usual. Original dark red fine-ribbed cloth blocked in black with front cover and spine letter in gilt, all edges uncut, black coated endpapers, minimal soiling to covers, upper portion of front joint neatly repaired, hinges expertly and almost invisibly repaired, small abrasion on recto of frontispiece, not affecting image on verso, some marginal soiling, housed in custom-made morocco and cloth slipcase, still a very good+ copy of this scarce Sherlock Holmes mystery. This Sherlock Holmes novel first appeared in the American publication of "Lippincott's" magazine for February 1890 and was published in book form in October of that year in London. The plot concerns Holmes's investigation into the murder of Bartholomew Sholto, his search for Jonathan Small, and the Agra treasure (original subtitled "The Problem of the Sholtos") and Watson's romance with Mary Morstan. The sheets of this Spencer Blackett edition were re-issued in 1891 this with the spine imprint of Griffith Farran Company. Green and Gibson A7a.
$US10000
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