THE FIVE SILVER BUDDHAS

First UK edition. Signed by the author. Publisher's original red cloth with black titles to the upper board and spine, without the dustwrapper. An excellent near fine copy, the binding square and firm, with some bumping to the spine tips. The cloth and titles remain bright and fresh. The contents, with toning to poor quality paper and light spotting and offsetting to the front and rear pastedowns are otherwise clean throughout and without previous owner's marks. An attractive example.

Inscribed by the author in black ink across the front pastedown and endpaper "Dear W. Bael Crowley / I liked your story / "The Eyes of Death" - it / dramatized, did it not, a theme of the philosopher Ouspensky? / - that objects have souls? / Perhaps you would like / to have - as a novelty / - one of my books in its - / ????, bloomin, bloody, blinkin, / British editions, Here tis! / Sincerely H. Stephen Keeler / Have placed story in "accepted drawer"". A stand-alone mystery novel following the lives of five individuals and how their lives overlap after they each purchase a silver Buddha at auction. At the time of publication and presumably presentation Keeler was employed as an editor for Ten Story Book, a popular pulp short-story magazine that also included photos of nude and scantily clad young women. (Hubin).