THE OMNIBUS OF CRIME. New York: Payson and Clarke Ltd, 1929. Octavo, pp. [1-8] 9-1177 [1178: colophon] [1179-1184: blank] [note: last three leaves are blanks], original decorated black cloth, spine stamped in orange, top edge stained orange. First U.S. edition. Published in Britain as GREAT SHORT STORIES OF DETECTION, MYSTERY AND HORROR. 1177-page anthology collecting sixty-two stories. "Gigantic, very well chosen collection of stories dealing with crime and the supernatural. An excellent historical introduction on the evolution of the detective story." - Bleiler, The Guide to Supernatural Fiction 1443. "Splendid anthology ... Sayers's introduction has become a classic in its own right, being the best short sketch of a general nature on the subject of mystery-detective fiction." - Tymn (ed), Horror Literature 2-85. "A cornerstone volume ..." - Barzun and Taylor, A Catalogue of Crime 2778. Barron (ed), Horror Literature 3-175. Some offset from the dust jacket on the fore-edges of the rear endpapers, light creases to penultimate and final blank leaves, a bright, very good copy in good pictorial dust jacket with wear along top and bottom edges, short tears at top and bottom edges of spine folds, damp stains on spine and rear panels, and some general rubbing, fading and soiling. This copy's dust jacket is the variant with an endorsement by American author (mystery writer, critic, etc.) Christopher Morley printed in silver ink on the front panel: "Read em / and Creep! / Christopher Morley." Copies of this book in jacket are uncommon. (#157563).
Price: $350.00
"First printing August 1929" on copyright page.