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VERY GOOD WITHOUT D.J. PRINGLE WAS KIND OF A GENTLEMAN THIEF THIS IS THE QUEEN'S QUORUM TITLE (# 30) OF LEGENDARY RARITY WHICH QUEEN HIMSELF OPINES WAS "DESTINED TO BECOME THE RAREST VOLUME OF DETECTIVE-CRIME SHORT STORIES PUBLISHED IN THE TWENTIETH CENTURY." IN 1951 QUEEN REPORTED: "BIBLIOPHILES AND BOOKSCOUTS HAVE SCOURED ENGLAND AND AMERICA, SEEKING IN THE MOST LIKELY AND UNLIKELY PLACES; YET AFTER NEARLY FIFTY YEARS OF EAGLE-EYED AND EXPERT EXCAVATING, THE RECORDED COPIES TOTAL EXACTLY SIX- NO MORE, NO LESS." THE ADRIAN GOLDSTONE COPY WHICH WAS RESOLD AT SOTHEBY'S IN DECEMBER 2000 HAS BLUE CLOTH COVERED BOARDS. ONE WONDERS IF THERE WERE INDEED SO FEW COPIES WHY MORE THAN ONE COLOR OF CLOTH WAS USED, BUT AFTER ANOTHER 55 YEARS SINCE QUEEN MADE THE ABOVE STATEMENT ONLY A FEW OTHERS SEEMED TO HAVE TURNED UP SO HIS ORIGINAL INFORMAL CENSUS MAY BE SOMETHING OTHER THAN EXAGERATION WHICH WAS HOW IT WAS CHARACTERIZED IN THE 1981 ADRIAN GOLDSTONE CATALOGUE. RED CLOTH COVERED BOARDS WITH GILT TITLES ON SPINE AND FRONT COVER WITH VIGNETTE IN WHITE, NOW PERISHED, ON THE FRONT COVER, WITH 4 FULL PAGE ILLUSTRATIONS BY FRED PEGRAM, AND 2 PAGE CATALOGUE FOLLOWING PAGE 198. OTHER THAN A PREVIOUS OWNER'S NAME ON THE FRONT PASTE-DOWN ENDPAPER, AN ORIGINAL BOOK SELLER'S STAMP "J. A. FULKERSON/ SHOAL LAKE MAN." ON THE FRONT FREE ENDPAPER, SOME TINY SPOTTING AT THE HEEL OF THE SPINE, SOME MODEST RESTORATION TO THE SURFACE OF THE UPPER COVER TO REPAIR SOME WATER DAMAGE, SOME SCATTERED TOBACCO STAINS IN THE TEXT, AND A FEW DOG-EARED PAGES, A VERY NICE CLEAN AND TIGHT COPY. FIRST EDITION. Binding is HARDCOVER. Seller Inventory # 010812
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