THE SANCTUARY CLUB. London, New York and Melbourne: Ward, Lock & Co., Limited, 1900. Octavo, pp. [1-7] 8-297 [298: blank] [299-304: ads], eight inserted plates with illustrations by Sidney Paget, original pictorial bevel-edged blue cloth, front and spine panels stamped in gold, all edges untrimmed. First edition, first printing with title page dated 1900. Series of linked sensational crime stories first published in THE STRAND MAGAZINE, July -- December 1899 as "Stories of the Sanctuary Club." "Most of the stories apply a small scientific principle to a crime and do not qualify as science fiction ... [including] two detective stories in which scientific means are used to solve crimes. The sixth story, 'The Secret of the Prison House,' has elements of science-fiction." - Bleiler, Science-Fiction: The Early Years 1471. Bleiler (1978), p. 137. Locke, A Spectrum of Fantasy, p. 154. Suvin, Victorian Science Fiction in the UK, p. 114. Queen, The Detective Short Story, p. 74. Hubin (1994), p. 566. Old British news agent stamps on the front free endpaper, half title page and recto of frontispiece, two large "SOLD" stamps on front endpapers, all in purple ink. Frontispiece tissue guard loose, a very good copy, excepting the stamps. An uncommon book. (#170952).
Price: $750.00
No statement of printing.