The Author's Edition of the Works [Adventures of Sherlock Holmes; Memoirs of Sherlock Holmes; A Study in Scarlet; The Sign of the Four; etc.] by DOYLE, ARTHUR CONAN - 1903

London: John Murray, 1903. Author's edition. morocco. Very Good. SIGNED BY ARTHUR CONAN DOYLE: THE BEAUTIFUL TWELVE-VOLUME "AUTHOR'S EDITION", ONE OF 1000 COPIES SIGNED BY DOYLE; IN EXQUISITE BAYNTUN BINDINGS. "The author considered this edition of his works to be of great importance: he revised parts, and added notes and a number of special introductions. He remarks in the preface that it had for some time been his ambition to have such a collection" and he notes that "I have expended all pains in putting these books into their final form..." (Green & Gibson, A Bibliography of Arthur Conan Doyle, A60). This English issue of the Author's Edition was limited to 1000 sets - 510 sets were bound by Smith. Elder and Company. "The remaining 490 sets of sheets were passed to John Murray when the company was sold; they were reissued with new title-pages dated 1903 in and after 1917." This set is one of the John Murray reissues. There was an American issue of the Author's Edition as well, but Doyle refused to sign any of those sets. Although Doyle mentions in his preface that he intended to add new works to the set over the years, this was never done and consequently The Hound of the Baskervilles was not included in this edition. (Green & Gibson). Beautifully illustrated with twenty-four photogravure plates. Note: The signed limitation page precedes the title page in The White Company. London: John Murray, 1903 [but really 1917]. Octavo, contemporary three-quarter crushed red morocco by Bayntun (with binder's stamp on front free endpapers), raised bands, gilt-decorated spines, top edges gilt. Twelve volumes. A few trivial spots of wear to cloth on boards; mild uniform fading to spines. Overall in outstanding condition in bindings of the highest quality.