POE, EDGAR ALLAN |  Tales. New York: Wiley & Putnam, 1845

The Property of a Gentleman

POE, EDGAR ALLAN

 Tales. New York: Wiley & Putnam, 1845

8vo (7 x 4 3/4 in.; 180 x 120 mm). Marginal damp stain to final leaves, else internally near fine. Modern half morocco.

First edition, first printing, first issue with Ludwig's imprint on the copyright page and the New York imprint.

"... the first important book of detective stories, the first and greatest, the cornerstone of cornerstones...the highest of all high spots...contains for the first time in book form all three Dupin stories" (Queen's Quorum 1).

While the tales herein were not selected by Poe (and he expressed reservations about the editor "whose taste does not coincide with my own") they are in the end perhaps the single best representation of his broad range and lasting influence. The 1845 Tales contains not only the invention of modern detective fiction, but also his supreme handling of psychological horror, and his contributions to both science fiction and the adventure story.

REFERENCE:

BAL 16146; Grolier, American 55; Heartman & Canny 90-97; NYPL/Gordon 485; Queen's Quorum; Yale/Gimbel 61