The Works of Sir Arthur Conan Doyle. The Author's Edition. Number 669 of The Signed Limited Edition of 1000. In Twelve Volumes. Vol. I – The White Company [Signed by Arthur Conan Doyle to the Limitation Page] Vol. II – Micah Clarke Vol. III – The Refugees Vol. IV – Rodney Stone Vol. V – Adventures of Sherlock Holmes Vol. VI – The Memoirs of Sherlock Holmes Vol. VII – A Study in Scarlet and The Sign of Four Vol. VIII – The Great Shadow and Uncle Bernac Vol. IX – A Duet, with an Occasional Chorus Vol. X – Tragedy of the Korosko and The Green Flag Vol. XI – The Stark Munro Letters and Round the Red Lamp Vol. XII – The Exploits of Brigadier Gerard [Author’s Edition – SIGNED by the AUTHOR – Numbered Limited Edition]

Arthur Conan Doyle

Published by John Murray, London, 1917

About this Item

London: John Murray, 1903 [1917]. "The Author's Edition", signed by Arthur Conan Doyle to the limitation page.
No. 669 of 1000 copies signed by the author. The White Company is signed by Conan Doyle to the limitation page before the title.
Black half morocco leather, with gilt tiles red twin labels to the spine and black cloth boards.
Pages tanned, top edges gilt, bottom of page edges untrimmed as published, some occasional foxing and marks.
Top page edges are gilt, the fore and bottom page edges are untrimmed and foxed. Two titled tissue guarded illustrations to each volume by Arthur Twidle, and other illustrators.
A remarkably clean set with only a closed tear to page 155 of the Great Shadow. Stain and hole (page 3 only) to the bottom margin of pages 1 ? 5 of The Tragedy of Korosko.
Frontispiece + one illustration to each volume both with titled tissue guard.
12 volumes, illustrated, rebound in black half leather with cloth boards, five raised bands, gilt titles and illustrations to the compartments.

Publication History
The Author's Edition was a joint publishing venture between D. Appleton of New York and the London firm of Smith, Elder and Company. "510 sets were bound by Smith, Elder and Company. The remaining 490 quires were passed to John Murray when the company was sold; they were re-issued with new title-pages dated 1903 in and after 1917.
The author considered this edition of his works to be of great importance: he revised parts and added notes and a number of special introductions.

Because of the author's friendship with Reginald Smith, he agreed to sign the thousand copies of the English issue. He was not, however, prepared to do the same for the American publisher, though he was asked. He made it known that he would only consider doing so for a considerable fee. The English issue also has the further attraction of having two illustrations in each volume rather than one.

In the order in which they were published:

Vol. I ? The White Company, [ii limitation page], xvii, [iii], 527pp;

Vol. II ? Micah Clarke, x, [ii], 584pp;

Vol. III ? The Refugees, viii, [ii], 450pp;

Vol. IV ? Rodney Stone, vii, [ii], 410pp;

Vol. V ? Adventures of Sherlock Holmes, ix, [iii], 419pp;

Vol. VI ? The Memoirs of Sherlock Holmes, [vi], 395pp;

Vol. VII ? A Study in Scarlet and The Sign of Four, xx, [iv], 220pp; [2], 210pp;

Vol. VIII ? The Great Shadow and Uncle Bernac, xi, [i], 155pp, [1]; [2], 3-235pp;

Vol. IX ? A Duet, with an Occasional Chorus, x, [ii], 345pp;

Vol. X ? Tragedy of the Korosko and The Green Flag (1 illustration by Sidney Paget and 1 by Arthur Twidle), [xii], 169pp, [1]; [2], 3-249pp;

Vol. XI ? The Stark Munro Letters and Round the Red Lamp (1 illustration by B. West Clinedinst and 1 by Arthur Twidle), vi, [vi], 262pp; v, [i], 3-246pp;

Vol. XII ? The Exploits of Brigadier Gerard (2 illustrations by W. B. Wollen), vi, [iv], 367pp.

Provenance: no inscriptions or bookplates.

Pagination: see above.

Size: approximately 8 ½ inches tall.



Externally

Spine ? very good condition ? gilt titles to red labels, five raised bands with gilt decoration to the compartments.
Joints ? very good condition.
Corners ? very good condition.
Boards ? very good condition ? half black morocco leather with cloth boards, blind stamped lines.
Page edges ? good condition ? top edge gilt, fore and bottom edges untrimmed and tanned.
Binding ? very good condition ? elegant.
See above and photos.

Internally

Hinges ? very good condition.
Paste downs ? very good condition ? new plain paste downs.
End papers ? very good condition ? new plain end papers added, original end papers slightly foxed.
Title ? good condition ? lightly tanned with minor marks.
Pages ? good condition ? tissue guarded frontispiece, and second tissue guarded illustration to each volume, pages are lightly tanned with minor foxing, waviness to the bottom of a few pages of 2 volumes.
See photos.

Seller Inventory # ABE-1760347262032

Bibliographic Details

• Title: The Works of Sir Arthur Conan Doyle. The Author's Edition. Number 669 of The Signed Limited Edition of 1000. In Twelve Volumes. Vol. I ? The White Company [Signed by Arthur Conan Doyle to the Limitation Page] Vol. II ? Micah Clarke Vol. III ? The Refugees Vol. IV ? Rodney Stone Vol. V ? Adventures of Sherlock Holmes Vol. VI ? The Memoirs of Sherlock Holmes Vol. VII ? A Study in Scarlet and The Sign of Four Vol. VIII ? The Great Shadow and Uncle Bernac Vol. IX ? A Duet, with an Occasional Chorus...
• Publisher: John Murray, London
• Publication Date: 1917
• Language: English
• Binding: Hardcover
• Illustrator: Sidney Paget
• Edition: 1st Edition, Limited Edition
• Condition: Very Good
• Signed: Signed by Author(s)
• Seller catalogs:
  • Limited Edition
  • Fine Binding
  • Library Sets