This Lot comprises the following 2 titles:
1. The Shadow of The Wolf. (1925). Hodder and Stoughton. The scarce first edition of this early Thorndyke novel in the original red cloth, lacking the dustwrapper. Inscribed on the front free endpaper by the author to a personal friend, Alice Bishop, whose children he had previously tutored, and dated 22nd. October, 1925. The binding is somewhat age soiled but internally the book is clean, tight and unmarked with only mild offsetting to the endpapers. A very good copy minus copy of a scarce title, particularly so inscribed.
2. The Cat's Eye. 1937. Hodder and Stoughton. The sixth edition but with a wonderful inscription and provenance. This is a remarkable copy inscribed by the author to Michael Sadleir, the noted author, bibliographer and collector (especially of Victorian fiction). In addition, the book has the small leather bookplate of on the front pastedown of Florence and Edward Kaye, also renowned collectors of detective fiction. The Kaye library was sold by Lew David Feldman of "The House of El Dieff" in 1974, and the resultant catalogue "The Distinguished Library of Detective-Crime-Mystery Fiction Formed by Florence and Edward Kaye Covering the Period 1591-1974" is an important reference work for collectors of this genre. Although I have not seen this catalogue, one can surmise that this copy on offer was featured in it! Thus the provenance of this book is superlative in having belonged to both the Sadleir and the Kaye libraries. A near fine copy in the original bright orange cloth with black lettering in fine condition. There is slight offsetting to the endpapers, but apart from the author's inscription on the front free endpaper, there are no other markings and no foxing. In an about complete very good attractive dustwrapper which has light edge wear and a couple of small corner chips. There are also some lightly browned internal tape reinforcements but not showing through to the front. A very sharp copy of this special book.
- Size: 8vo.
