THE GLASS KEY

First edition in book form, first printing [first state]. Publisher's original blue cloth with red titles to the spine and white key illustration to the upper board, lacking the rare dustwrapper. A very good copy, the binding square and firm with a little rubbing and bumping to the extremities, the cloth clean though darkened to the spine. The contents, with a small previous owner's name to the front endpaper and the odd finger marks to the margins are otherwise clean.

First published over four issues of Black Mask magazinel beginning March 1930) under the editorship of Joseph T. Shaw. This first edition in book form, in the correct first state of binding and contents (with Knopf stamped to the bottom of the spine and no mention of Cassell on the title page) was issued in January 1931 preceding the American book publication by three months. A Haycraft Queen Cornerstone. (Hubin; Layman A4.1).