Handsomely rebound in late nineteenth century style full red polished calf, covers double-ruled in gilt, spine with five raised bands decoratively tooled and lettered in gilt in compartments, gilt decorated board edges and turn-ins, cockerel endpapers, all edges uncut. Bound without the leaf of advertisements preceding the title-page and the last leaf of advertisements at the end (pp. 75-78 with very slight fore marginal loss not affecting text. The title-page has been very neatly repaired at the edges and pp. With six line drawings within the text by Charles Doyle, the author's father, on pp. title blank publisher's preface (with paragraph 2, line 3: youuger) blank contents blank - blank advertisements pp. Second impression with mis-spelling 'youuger' for younger in the second paragraph of the publishers' preface. First edition in book form of the first Sherlock Holmes story (preceded only by the story's appearance in Beeton's Christmas Annual 1887).

'I consider that a man's brain originally is like a little empty attic, and you have to stock it with such furniture as you choose.' A Great Detective's Debut, or The Case of The Missing Rare Book DOYLE, Arthur Conan.

A very good copy indeed in a fine binding. Faded ownership inscription at head of title page, margins trimmed a little close, paper repair to gutter of pp. Bound without advertisements at front, with 14 pp. With 6 full-page illustrations by Charles Doyle. Housed in a custom red leather-entry slipcase. Finely bound by The Chelsea Bindery in red morocco, spine lettered and tooled in gilt, raised bands and gilt compartments on spine, triple rules and tooled cornerpieces in gilt on covers and turn-ins, dark green endpapers, all edges gilt. Doyle was influential in establishing crime fiction as a widely read literary genre, and Holmes's name has since become a byword for fictional detective.

Samuelson produced a silent film of the same name, with Holmes played by James Bragington. It was the first work of detective fiction to incorporate the magnifying glass as an investigative tool, and the first Sherlock Holmes story to be adapted for the screen: in 1914, G. A Study in Scarlet first appeared in print in Beeton's Christmas Annual (1887). First edition in book form, second impression, with the first and last signatures reset, of Conan Doyle's first book: this is the first appearance in book form of Sherlock Holmes.

Sherlock holmes & a study in scarlet