ASHDOWN, Clifford [pseudonym of FREEMAN, Richard Austin (1862-1943) and James John PITCAIRN (1860-1936)]. The Adventures of Romney Pringle. London: Ward, Lock & Co., 1902.

8vo. 4 plates after Fred Pegram; 2pp. publisher's ads at end. Original gilt-lettered red cloth, white-stamped vignette on upper cover (white-stamping mostly rubbed off, spine slightly leaning). Provenance: Hugh W. Hastings (stamp on pastedown, faint pencil inscription dated 1906); sold, George Goodspeed, 12 May 1981, to John Talbot Gernon (notation on catalogue card laid in); John Talbot Gernon (his initials on card).

RARE FIRST EDITION, of the author's first collection of detective stories, written in collaboration with Dr. John James Pitcairn, medical officer at Holloway Prison. "...the book destined to become the rarest volume of detective-crime short stories published in the Twentieth century materialized without fanfare or huzzah. Data is lacking as to how many copies were actually printed and sold; at the time of this writing, however, only six copies of the first edition are known to exist" (Queen's Quorum). Queen's Quorum 30 ("only six copies of the first edition are known to exist," though since Queen's Quorum was published, more have surfaced; this copy not specifically identified in their census). This is the rare red cloth variant (the only copy recorded at auction last sold at Christie's 2002).

Selections from the Library of Dr. John Talbot Gernon

ASHDOWN, Clifford [pseudonym of FREEMAN, Richard Austin (1862-1943) and James John PITCAIRN (1860-1936)]. The Adventures of Romney Pringle. London: Ward, Lock & Co., 1902.

ASHDOWN, Clifford [pseudonym of FREEMAN, Richard Austin (1862-1943) and James John PITCAIRN (1860-1936)]. The Adventures of Romney Pringle. London: Ward, Lock & Co., 1902.