THE BENSON MURDER CASE

First edition, first printing. With a signed presentation card. Publisher's original black cloth with red titles to the upper board and spine, in dustwrapper. An excellent, near fine copy, the binding square and firm with a little pushing at the spine tips. The contents are clean throughout and without previous owner's inscriptions or stamps. Small bookseller's label to the bottom left corner of the front endpaper. Complete with the very good, first state dustwrapper that is a little rubbed, nicked and creased at the extremities, with some toning to the spine and flap edges. Not price-clipped (correctly priced $2.00 to the upper front flap) and with a faint green date stamp "Dec 17 1926" opposite. An excellent example of a notable rarity in the correct dustwrapper.

Loosely laid in is a small white card inscribed by the author in black ink "To A. Laura Murray [underlined] / With the compliments / and best wishes of / S. S. Van Dine". The first Philo Vance novel, a Haycraft-Queen Cornerstone, and the basis for the 1930 Paramount Pictures film of the same name, directed by Frank Tuttle, starring William Powell in the lead role. (Hubin).