signed
1902 · New York
by Doyle, Arthur Conan
New York: Harper & Brothers, 1902. Very good.. Early edition of the first collection of Sherlock Holmes stories, with signature by Doyle, dated 1905, to a contemporary tipped-in bookplate. Of the 12 included stories, Doyle selected The Adventure of the Speckled Band, The Red-Headed League, A Scandal in Bohemia, and The Five Orange Pips as his first, second, fifth, and seventh favorites (respectively) among his own stories when asked in 1927 by THE STRAND magazine. The remaining seven stories are: A Case of Identity, The Boscome Valley Mystery, The Man with the Twisted Lip, The Adventure of the Blue Carbuncle, The Adventure of the Engineer's Thumb, The Adventure of the Noble achelor, The Adventure of the Beryl Coronet, and The Adventure of the Copper Beeches. 7.25'' x 5''. Original gilt-lettered decorative blue cloth. 307, [1] pages. Contemporary Bryn Mawr Book Fair bookplate mounted to front paste-down, signed by Doyle: "Arthur Conan Doyle / Nov 27/05 / Undershaw / Hindhead." Though no additional provenance markings, this copy from the library of noted actor and Sherlockian Curtis Armstrong. Staining to spine. Light edgewear and bumping, minor soil to text block edges.
(Inventory #: 50177)