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The Amateur Cracksman
E.W. Hornung
Methuen, London · 1899
First Edition. Extremely scarce true first edition of Hornung's key title - the first collection of Raffles stories. Publisher's vertically ribbed red cloth with gilt lettering to front cover and spine.
Catalogue at rear dated December 1898. Patchy fading and light soiling to cloth. Neat professionalrepairs to snags at head and tail of spine using matching period cloth with slight loss to lettering.
Now a sound and serviceable copy of a book that is rarely encountered in any condition and almost unheard of in a state that a collector would be truly proud of. Printed dedication to A.C.D.- the author's brother-in-law, Arthur Conan Doyle. Just as Doyle got saddled with Sherlock Holmes and tried bumping him off to get shot of him (before being forced to resurrect him), so Hornung killed off Raffles, before being compelled, by public demand, to recount some of his earlier misdemeanours through Raffles' memorious mouthpiece, Bunny.
All told there were 4 Raffles collections, only the last of which, from 1909, is at all common in commerce. The present copy of The Amateur Cracksman is only the third copy I've handled in over 30 years of actively pursuing and dealing in Hornung's books.
Written by Dr Jeremy Parrott, who has the book in his hands. Nothing here is generated from a catalogue record.
Bibliographic detail
| Author | Hornung, E.W. |
|---|---|
| Publisher | Methuen, London |
| Date | 1899 |
| Edition | First Edition |
| Binding | Hardcover |
| Condition | Good |
| Stock reference | ab_32410901844 |