Available Copies from Independent Booksellers
Price: US$962.07 + shipping
Description: First edition, first impression, in the first issue green cloth (copies were later issued in red cloth). This is Greene's first collection of short stories, with "The Basement Room", "I Spy", "A Chance For Mr Lever", and "Proof Positive" seeing their first publication in any form. The title story is recognized as Greene's most successful short story, and was adapted by Greene in 1948 into the Oscar nominated film The Fallen Idol, directed by Carol Reed. The Cresset Press was founded as an independent press in 1927 by Dennis Cohen, and in its early years producing a number of handsome deluxe editions, of which the best known today is Gulliver's Travels decorated by Rex Whistler (1930). By the mid-thirties the market for such books had collapsed, and the Cresset Press turned to general publishing, while retaining an eye for good design. Miller 15; Wise & Hill A9; Wobbe A10. Octavo. Original green cloth, spine lettered in gilt. Spine a little dulled with slight lean, front hinge split following free endpaper and slight separation between gatherings A and B, a good copy.
Seller: Peter Harrington. ABA/ ILAB., London, United Kingdom