ASHDOWN (CLIFFORD), pseudonym of RICHARD AUSTIN FREEMAN and JAMES JOHN PITCAIRN The Adventures of Romney Pringle, FIRST EDITION, half-title, 4 plates after Fred Pegram, 2pp. publisher's advertisements at end, faint spotting to endpapers, publisher's red cloth gilt, white-stamped vignette on upper cover, upper joint weak, spine very faded, worn [Queen's Quorum 30], 8vo, Ward, Lock & Co., 1902 Footnotes: RARE FIRST EDITION IN SCARCE RED CLOTH VARIANT BINDING. The first edition of the author's first collection of detective stories, '...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 [1951], however, only six copies of the first edition are known to exist' (Queen's Quorum). Since Queen's time, a few more copies have been located, but this title remains scarce. We have traced only two other copies at auction in the rare red cloth binding. This lot is subject to the following lot symbols: • • Zero rated for VAT, no VAT will be added to the Hammer Price or the Buyer's Premium. For further information on this lot please visit Bonhams.com For further information about this lot please visit the lot listing