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Details
DOYLE, Arthur Conan (1859-1930). The Sign of Four. London: Spencer Blackett, 1890.
8° (190 x 128mm). Half-tone frontispiece by Charles Kerr. Adverts dateD0October 1890 bound in at the end. (Small dampstain on the bottom edge of a few leaves, one leaf roughly opened without affecting text.) Original red cloth, gilt-lettered on upper side and spine, border in black on sides and spine, modern clamshell case (expertly recased and with neat repairs at spine ends, dampstain on the front endpapers).
FIRST EDITION IN BOOK FORM, FIRST ISSUE. Doyle, in a letter to his publisher dated September 1889, discussed problems naming the work: 'as far as I can see my way at present my story will either be called "The Sign of the Six" or "The Problem of the Sholtos". You said you wanted a spicy title...' Doyle initially left the problem to J.M. Stoddard, though commenting that 'The Sign of the Four strikes me as likely to be popular but a trifle catchpenny'. The title eventually lost the second 'the' also in Doyle's manuscript. Despite best efforts, it wasn't until 1893, after the rights had been acquired by George Newnes, that the book attained true popularity and became a best-seller (Green & Gibson). With all first issue points: '138' misprinted as '13' on contents page, 'w shed' on page 56, and the first issue binding with 'Spencer Blackett's Standard Library' at spine foot. Locke 29-30; De Waal 279; Green & Gibson A7a.
8° (190 x 128mm). Half-tone frontispiece by Charles Kerr. Adverts dateD0October 1890 bound in at the end. (Small dampstain on the bottom edge of a few leaves, one leaf roughly opened without affecting text.) Original red cloth, gilt-lettered on upper side and spine, border in black on sides and spine, modern clamshell case (expertly recased and with neat repairs at spine ends, dampstain on the front endpapers).
FIRST EDITION IN BOOK FORM, FIRST ISSUE. Doyle, in a letter to his publisher dated September 1889, discussed problems naming the work: 'as far as I can see my way at present my story will either be called "The Sign of the Six" or "The Problem of the Sholtos". You said you wanted a spicy title...' Doyle initially left the problem to J.M. Stoddard, though commenting that 'The Sign of the Four strikes me as likely to be popular but a trifle catchpenny'. The title eventually lost the second 'the' also in Doyle's manuscript. Despite best efforts, it wasn't until 1893, after the rights had been acquired by George Newnes, that the book attained true popularity and became a best-seller (Green & Gibson). With all first issue points: '138' misprinted as '13' on contents page, 'w shed' on page 56, and the first issue binding with 'Spencer Blackett's Standard Library' at spine foot. Locke 29-30; De Waal 279; Green & Gibson A7a.
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