STORIES OF THE SEEN AND UNSEEN. Edinburgh and London: William Blackwood and Sons, MCMII [1902]. Octavo, pp. [1-6] [1-3] 4-316 [note: binder's leaf precedes half title leaf], original decorated olive-green cloth, front panel stamped in black and blind, spine panel stamped in gold and blind. First printing of this edition. This edition collects four fine ghostly tales, "The Open Door," "Old Lady Mary," "The Portrait" and "The Library Window," The 1902 Blackwood edition is the earliest located edition collecting "The Library Window," generally considered to be Oliphant's best supernatural story. "The Open Door," was praised by M. R. James who considered it to be one of the "really good ghost stories I know wherein the elements of beauty and pity dominate terror." Ashley, Who's Who in Horror and Fantasy Fiction, p. 141. Barron (ed), Horror Literature 2-75. Bleiler, The Guide to Supernatural Fiction 1259. Bleiler (ed), Supernatural Fiction Writers: Fantasy and Horror, pp. 266-67. Sullivan (ed), The Penguin Encyclopedia of Horror and the Supernatural, pp. 308-09. Tymn (ed), Horror Literature 3-186. Wilson, Shadows in the Attic, p. 395. Neither Bleiler (1948; 1978) nor Reginald (1979; 1992) cite this edition. Early owner's book label affixed to the front paste-down. A fine copy. A lovely copy of a very scarce edition of this book, especially in this condition. (#171827).
Price: $1,000.00
No statement of printing.