RARE AND COLLECTIBLE – HAMMETT, FREDRIC BROWN and DONALD WESTLAKE
The ultimate Christmas gift book... For yourself or someone you love, a one-time-only chance to get this book at a huge reduction in price. Originally priced at $10,000.00, for the holiday season only, the price is $4,000.00. Read all about it, and come by to see it for yourself:
Dashiell Hammett, THE MALTESE FALCON
Grosset & Dunlap, 1929, signed reprint, fine/fine, $4,000.00
This is one of those finds that happens only a few times in a bookseller’s career: a signed early edition of Dashiell Hammett’s most famous work. As Sam Spade says, it’s “the stuff that dreams are made of.”
An unsigned, true first edition of The Maltese Falcon is currently listed online for $67,000.00. It is a very good copy, with very good dust jacket, with an eight inch repaired tear on the front cover. The only signed Hammett for sale is an unjacketed Thin Man with a sun-faded spine, wear on boards, and a water stain on the signature. It is priced at $34,000.00. If this book were the Knopf first edition, the estimated price would be at least $100,000.00.
Our copy is fine/fine, with as perfect a dust jacket as you could hope to find. The pages are yellow due to high acid content of the paper on Grosset & Dunlap’s reprints.
This item is truly one of a kind, and comes with authenticated copies of Dashiell Hammett’s signature on two documents.
FREDRIC BROWN was an extraordinarily prolific writer of both mysteries and science fiction in the 1940s and ‘50s, and an early master of both genres. Hardcover first editions of his work are becoming more and more difficult to find.
All of these books are first editions, varying in condition from fine to good. Please call the store to check availability and to clarify condition.
THE FABULOUS CLIPJOINT. Dutton, 1946. $125.00
A first edition of Brown’s first book. The book is in very good condition; the dust jacket is only “good,” which means it’s a mess. The jacket is heavily chipped on the front fold-over, a piece is missing halfway down the jacket’s spine, and the top and bottom of the spine are badly chipped. The price reflects the book’s condition; similar copies sell online for $225.00 -- $250.00, and a fine copy goes for as much as $1,000.00.
THE DEAD RINGER. Dutton, 1948. $175.00
A first edition of Brown’s second book. The book is near fine, but the dust jacket is only fair to good. The jacket front is bright and clear, but the spine is sunfaded. The spine has chipping at top and bottom, and a closed tear line down the middle. Similar copies sell online for $400.00, and fine/fine copies sell for more than $700.00.
MURDER CAN BE FUN. Dutton, 1948. $100.00
A first edition of Brown’s third book. The book is near fine, but the dust jacket is only fair to good. A piece at the bottom of the jacket front is missing, extending across the bottom of the spine. The printing on the spine is strangely mixed up, apparently due to a printing error. This price is what an ex-library copy sells for; a fine/fine copy would sell for around $1,000.00.
THE SCREAMING MIMI. Dutton, 1949. $175.00
A first edition. The book is very good plus, the dust jacket is near very good. The bottom of the jacket’s front cover shows dirt, as does the spine, and the spine shows rubbing at top and bottom. A top-condition copy sells for over $475.00, and a copy similar to this sells online for $150.00.
NIGHT OF THE JABBERWOCK. Dutton, 1950. $75.00
A first edition of Brown’s most famous mystery. The book is very good plus, with a small tape stain on the free endpaper. The dust jacket is only good. The jacket seems to be very good, but is very wrinkled, from once having been wet. Being wet did not affect the red and black colors on the cover. Were the book near fine, it would sell for more than $800.00. Similar copies to this sell for $150.00 -- $195.00.
THE DEEP END. Dutton, 1952. $125.00
A first edition. The book is near fine, and the dust jacket is good. A closed tear on the spine runs most of its length, and the spine is sunfaded. A top copy sells for over $300.00. A copy like this sells for at least $225.00.
WE ALL KILLED GRANDMA. Dutton, 1952. $185.00
A first edition of a rare title. The book is near fine, and the dust jacket is very good. A missing piece on the jacket’s spine cuts into the word Dutton, and the top of the spine is chipped. The front of the fold over shows rubbing from top to bottom. A top copy sells for close to $800.00; a copy like this usually sells for $275.00 to $300.00.
HIS NAME WAS DEATH. Boardman, 1955. $200.00
A
signed British first edition. The book is near fine, and the dust jacket is only good. The jacket is missing a two-inch piece from the bottom of the spine, extending another two inches onto the jacket’s back cover. The front cover is bright and clear, but bears an English price sticker. What’s important, though, is the rare signature. Were this a perfect copy, it would easily sell for more than $600.00.
THE WENCH IS DEAD. Dutton, 1955. $300.00
A first edition. The book is fine. The dust jacket is near fine, an unfaded yellow with only very slight chipping at the top and bottom of the spine. Similar copies sell for up to $750.00, and no less than $475.00.
THIRTY CORPSES EVERY THURSDAY. Dennis McMillan, 1985. $110.00
A fine/fine first edition of a limited run of 400 copies, with an introduction signed by William Campbell Gault. Similar copies sell online for up to $250.00.
PARDON MY LAUGHTER. Dennis McMillan, 1986. $100.00
One of a limited edition of 400 copies, in fine condition, with an introduction signed by Donald Westlake. Similar copies sell online for up to $250.00.
RED IS THE HUE OF HELL. Dennis McMillan, 1986. $155.00
One of a limited edition of 400 copies, in fine condition, with an introduction signed by Walt Sheldon. Similar copies sell online for up to $295.00.
FREDRIC BROWN READING COPIES:
THE BLOODY MOONLIGHT. Dutton, 1949. $25.00
A first edition, with dust jacket glued to the book, and a library stamp in it.
COMPLIMENTS OF A FIEND. Dutton, 1950. $25.00
A first edition, no dust jacket.
THE LATE LAMENTED. Dutton, 1959. $40.00
A first edition, with dust jacket glued to the book.
THE FIVE DAY NIGHTMARE. Dutton, 1962. $25.00
A first edition, with dust jacket glued to the book.
DONALD WESTLAKE, Grand Master of the Mystery Writers of America, needs no introduction from us. You may be less familiar with his many pen names, of which the most prominent is
RICHARD STARK. All of these Stark and Westlake novels are
signed first editions, priced below market. Due to space constraints and the large quantity of titles available, a partial list is given below. Call the store for a complete list.
Buy three of these books and get 20 percent off the total price; buy six or more, and we’ll give you get 30 percent off!
As Richard Stark:
POINT BLANK. Pocket Books Gold Medal, 1962. $25.00
SOLD!
An early reprint, with the movie title name. Very good plus condition. Signed, “Donald Westlake (R.S.)”
KILLTOWN. Berkley, 1964. $25.00
SOLD!
A scarce reprint under a changed title; this book is better-known as
THE SCORE, and is one of the best Parker novels. He takes on a whole town. Condition is near fine. Signed, “Donald Westlake (R.S.)”
THE SEVENTH. Pocket, 1966. $55.00
SOLD!
First edition paperback, in near fine condition. Signed, “Donald Westlake (R.S.)”
THE DAMSEL. SignetNAL, 1967. $30.00
SOLD!
A paperback first edition, from the 1966 hardcover first edition. The condition is near fine. Signed, “Donald Westlake (R.S.)”
THE GREEN EAGLE SCORE. Pocket Books Gold Medal, 1967. $50.00
SOLD!
A first edition paperback in near fine condition. Signed, “Donald Westlake (R.S.)”
THE SCORE. Avon, 1984. $25.00
SOLD!
One of the last of the 1980s reprints from the 1980’s, and one of the best Parker novels. Condition is fine. Signed, “Donald Westlake (R.S.)”
THE JUGGER. Avon, 1985. $25.00
SOLD!
The last of the reprints from the 1980’s. Fine condition. Signed, “Donald Westlake (R.S.)”
As Donald Westlake:
I GAVE AT THE OFFICE. Simon & Schuster, 1971. $95.00
A signed first edition. The book is fine, except for a previous owner’s initials on the free endpaper. The dust jacket is near fine, except for rubbing and chipping at top and bottom of the spine. This is an early send-up of television interviews and Latin American dictators.
DANCING AZTECS. Evans, 1976. $185.00
A fine minus first edition, signed. As with all copies of this book, the dust jacket, while perfect, is a hair short. The dust jacket’s printer printed all the jackets just a bit smaller than the book. There is light foxing on the top pages. Many regard this to be Westlake’s masterpiece of screwball capers. Laugh till you drop.
BROTHERS KEEPERS. Evans, 1975. $50.00
A fine signed first edition. Introducing the most amazing gang of monks you’ve ever met, including a former burglar, a lawyer, a boxer, and an army dropout.
NOBODY’S PERFECT. Evans, 1977. $275.00
A near fine first edition, signed, of one the scarcer of the Dortmunders.
The book is slightly cocked and there is light foxing on the top pages.
WHY ME? Viking, 1983. $45.00
A fine minus first edition, signed. There is light foxing on the top pages. Many consider this the best Dortmunder novel; terrible movie, but a great book.
ADIOS, SCHEHERAZADE: The Secret Life of a Sensuous Man. Simon & Schuster, 1970. $40.00
Sad to say, this a signed
second printing. At the moment, we can’t find a first printing of this book for sale, only second printings and book clubs. The book is fine and the dust jacket is near fine, with only browning from age to the white dust jacket. Signed second printings sell online for as much as $200.00.
There are many other titles available from 1968 to the current day, so please call the store for details.
Posted by linda on December 05, 2004
