Available Copies from Independent Booksellers
Chandler, Raymond. THE BIG SLEEP. Collector's Clamshell Case Only. Alfred A. Knopf, New York, 1939.
Price: US$180.00 + shipping
Description: Custom Clamshell Case. No Binding. First Edition Clamshell Case. Chandler, Raymond. THE BIG SLEEP. New York: Alfred A. Knopf, 1939 [Book Date]. Superb Custom Fitted Modern Collector's Clamshell Bookcase [Not A Book] HAND-CRAFTED by our conservation team, each box is gilt-stamped at the spine. The case is finished in deep blue & red Nuba® with a 'Sculpted' title on the side after the book's dustwrapper. Nuba® is a fine, supple & durable covering with a neutral ph that has the feel of velvety soft Italian Nubuck leather. This clamshell is perfectly sized to accommodate your first edition. A Terrific Collector's Custom Case for an important Benchmark Mystery. TBCL Web Site photo/link available for OVER 100 generally in-stock titles. Custom Craft available upon request. Book definitely NOT included.
Seller: TBCL The Book Collector's Library, Montreal, QC, Canada
Raymond Chandler. The Big Sleep. Alfred A. Knopf, New York, 1939.
Price: US$750.00 + shipping
Condition: Poor
Description: Poor condition. Stated second printing before publication. Overall wear. Cocking to spine. Some pages loose. Page 119 and 120 detached. Possible ex-library as there seems that something had been affixed to the front endpaper, possibly also a bookplate from a personal library. Arguably the greatest, and certainly one of the most influential, private detective novels of all time.
Seller: Sellers & Newel Second-Hand Books , Toronto, ON, Canada
Raymond Chandler. The Big Sleep. Alfred a Knopf Inc, New York, 1939.
Price: US$800.00 + shipping
Condition: Good
Description: 1st edition, 2nd issue with those points as given in the biblio. Original blue and orange cloth, with residue of old book plate on endsheet, else very good. in a fine facsimile dust jacket. Basis for the film noir directed by Howard Hawks starring Humphrey Bogart as Philip Marlowe. The film script was written by William Faulkner, and was forced to adopt radical changes in the plot to satisfy the censors, that explains its confusions. The real villan is in the book. One day there will be a full fledged film a Haycraft-Queen Cornerstone and a modern highspot of virtually iconic reputation
Seller: Hirschfeld Galleries, Saint Louis, MO, U.S.A.
Chandler, Raymond. The Big Sleep. Alfred A. Knopf, New York, 1939.
Price: US$1500.00 + shipping
Description: An attractively bound copy in finely woven salmon-colored cloth. Stamped in black on the front boards and on the spine. Uniformly worn binding with edge-wear, touch of fraying to the top and bottom of the spine ends and at the corners. Internally very clean and tight with 1" square residue outlines on the front and rear endpapers. A pleasant copy of Chandler's first book and basis for the brilliantly confusing movie starring Humphrey Bogart and Lauren Bacall. Raymond Thornton Chandler (1888 1959) was an American-British novelist and screenwriter. In 1932, at the age of forty-four, Chandler became a detective fiction writer after losing his job as an oil company executive during the Great Depression. His first short story, "Blackmailers Don't Shoot", was published in 1933 in Black Mask, a popular pulp magazine. His first novel, The Big Sleep, was published in 1939. In addition to his short stories, Chandler published seven novels during his lifetime (an eighth, in progress at the time of his death, was completed by Robert B. Parker). All but Playback have been made into motion pictures, some more than once. In the year before his death, he was elected president of the Mystery Writers of America.[1]Chandler had an immense stylistic influence on American popular literature. He is a founder of the hardboiled school of detective fiction, along with Dashiell Hammett, James M. Cain and other Black Mask writers. The protagonist of his novels, Philip Marlowe, like Hammett's Sam Spade, is considered by some to be synonymous with "private detective". Both were played in films by Humphrey Bogart, whom many consider to be the quintessential Marlowe.The Big Sleep placed second on the Crime Writers Association poll of the 100 best crime novels; Farewell, My Lovely (1940), The Lady in the Lake (1943) and The Long Goodbye (1953) also made the list.[2] The latter novel was praised in an anthology of American crime stories as "arguably the first book since Hammett's The Glass Key, published more than twenty years earlier, to qualify as a serious and significant mainstream novel that just happened to possess elements of mystery". Chandler was also a perceptive critic of detective fiction; his "The Simple Art of Murder" is the canonical essay in the field.[3][4] In it he wrote: "Down these mean streets a man must go who is not himself mean, who is neither tarnished nor afraid. The detective must be a complete man and a common man and yet an unusual man. He must be, to use a rather weathered phrase, a man of honorby instinct, by inevitability, without thought of it, and certainly without saying it. He must be the best man in his world and a good enough man for any world. (Wikipedia) First edition with matching dates of 1939 on the title and copyright pages and the statement "First Edition" at the bottom of the copyright page.
Seller: Brainerd Phillipson Rare Books, Holliston, MA, U.S.A.
Chandler, Raymond. The Big Sleep [Philip Marlowe 1]. Alfred A. Knopf, New York, 1939.
Price: US$3341.49 + shipping
Condition: Very Good
Description: 8vo. original printed paper wraps (rebound in modern black cloth retaining front and rear panel of original paperback binding mounted to boards, paperstock a little toned and marked); pp. 320. A very good proof copy of the scarce first edition of this influential debut crime novel.
Seller: Arapiles Mountain Books - Mount of Alex, Castlemaine, VIC, Australia
Chandler, Raymond. The Big Sleep. Alfred A. Knopf, New York, 1939.
Price: US$3499.99 + shipping
Condition: Good
Description: Orange cloth with blue lettering, darkened topstain. Stated first edition. Spine ends/corners rubbed/frayed. Edges rubbed. Glue darkened at endpages. Binding a bit tender. Unmarked. DJ in mylar with $2.00 price dampstained to back panel, chipped at spine ends/corners with 3cm loss to spine foot, rubbed folds, toned spine. ; 8vo 8" - 9" tall
Seller: curtis paul books, inc., Northridge, CA, U.S.A.
Raymond Chandler. The Big Sleep. Alfred A. Knopf, USA, 1939.
Price: US$3655.87 + shipping
Condition: Very Good
Description: The Big Sleep by Raymond Chandler First Edition Alfred A. Knopf 1939. No inscriptions. Very small bookseller's label to ffep. Covers are VG+ in a near VG price clipped dust jacket.
Seller: Brought to Book Ltd, London, United Kingdom
Chandler, Raymond. The Big Sleep. Alfred A. Knopf, New York, 1939.
Price: US$4699.99 + shipping
Condition: Very Good
Description: Orange cloth with blue lettering, blue topstain. Light rubbing to extremities, slightly cocked. Glue darkening, pages lightly toned. Small stain to text block edge. Price-clipped jacket in mylar is chipped at edges and toned, with a small closed tear to bottom front panel. Stated first edition. Housed in a fine custom clamshell case. ; 8vo 8" - 9" tall
Seller: curtis paul books, inc., Northridge, CA, U.S.A.
Raymond Chandler. The Big Sleep (VG 1st ed. w/ VG- dj). Knopf, 1939.
Price: US$4700.00 + shipping
Condition: Very Good
Description: Pub by Alfred A. Knopf, 1939, stated 1st Edition. VG cond. hardcover w/ VG-minus unclipped pict dustjacket now in archival Brodart. Orange cloth over bds w/ blue framing & lettering on cover & spine, top edge dark blue / black. Endpapers lightly toned. Small area of p/o's info ghosted out on ffep. Binding very slightly tender in a couple places but sound throughout. Dustjacket shows lt-mdt chipping to corners & to head & tail of spine, also has a dime-size rub-though over the word "The" on spine, nevertheless 95% intact. Quite a nice copy of a scarce edition. 277pp + linotype page. Square, straight, tight & clean except as noted, overall VG/VG- cond. Same or next day shipping. Please email any questions.
Seller: Rivertown Fine Books, McGregor, IA, U.S.A.
CHANDLER, RAYMOND.. The Big Sleep. New York: Alfred A. Knopf, 1939, 1939.
Price: US$5000.00 + shipping
Description: First Edition of Chandler's first book. Top edge a little spotted; very good or a little better in a similar dust jacket. with small chips and tears along the edges and a larger chip at the top of the back panel, which is about a half inch wide and extends down for about an inch and a half, affecting two words of text. All books described as first editions are first printings unless otherwise noted.
Seller: Peter L. Stern & Co., Inc, Newton, MA, U.S.A.
CHANDLER, RAYMOND. The Big Sleep. New York Alfred A. Knopf 1939, 1939.
Price: US$5500.00 + shipping
Description: First Edition, First Printing. Ownership signature. A very good lightly used copy with some minor spotting to the cloth and top edge and some edge wear in a very good dust jacket with a touch of dust soiling to the rear panel, and with a few minor mends.
Seller: James Pepper Rare Books, Inc., ABAA, Santa Barbara, CA, U.S.A.
Raymond Chandler. The Big Sleep. Alfred A. Knopf, 1939.
Price: US$5500.00 + shipping
Condition: Very Good
Description: "The Big Sleep", by Raymond Chandler. New York: Alfred A. Knopf, 1939. First edition. Octavo (7.375 x 5 inches; 188 x 127 mm.). [viii], 277, [1, note on the type], [2, blank] pages. Publisher's brownish orange smooth V-cloth, spine and front board stamped and lettered in dark grayish blue, publisher's device stamped in dark grayish blue on rear board; top edge stained dark blue, others trimmed; in restored original dust jacket. Very gentle spine lean; backstrip faintly dulled; spine ends and corners lightly worn, crown just starting to fray; light rubbing to front joint. Endpapers faintly discolored from binding glue. Dust jacket restored with most substantial work performed on the base of the spine, where the publisher's name and device have been replaced in manuscript; crown and edges renewed, few closed tears repaired; verso lined. Spine panel just a shade dulled; rear panel with an even layer of faint soiling. A near fine copy in an expertly restored jacket with a nice overall appearance. From the KoKo Collection. The author's first novel and the introduction of Philip Marlowe. Basis for the 1946 Howard Hawks noir staple starring Humphrey Bogart and Lauren Bacall with a screenplay co-written by William Faulkner.
Seller: Neverland Books, waalre, Netherlands
Chandler, Raymond. The Big Sleep.. Alfred A. Knopf, New York, 1939.
Price: US$7000.00 + shipping
Description: First edition of Chandlerâs first and most famous novel, with the rarely found original dust jacket. Octavo, original cloth. Near fine in a near fine price-clipped dust jacket. Haycraft-Queen Cornerstone. Bruccoli A1.1.a. A very sharp example. The Big Sleep, Raymond Chandlerâs first novel, âwas a masterpiece right out of the gate and introduced a new kind of detective story, build on the hard-boiled foundation laid by Dashiell Hammettâ (Johnson I:44). The novel was published when Chandler was 51, after years of apprenticeship in pulp magazines. âItâs my ambition,â he once said, âto write a mystery story without one word of explanation at the end. In The Big Sleep I almost succeeded.â This was the novel that announced Chandlerâs literary coming-of-age and defined the mythic status of his wise-cracking detective Philip Marlowe. âChandler is fun to read,â commented writer George Higgins. âHe was also one hell of a writer, and those are hard to findâ (Hardboiled Mystery Writers, 81-3). A Haycraft Queen cornerstone novel. William Faulkner co-authored the screenplay adaptation of The Big Sleep for Howard Hawksâ 1946 film starring Humphrey Bogart and Lauren Bacall.
Seller: Raptis Rare Books, Palm Beach, FL, U.S.A.
Chandler, Raymond. The Big Sleep. Alfred A. Knopf, New York, 1939.
Price: US$7500.00 + shipping
Condition: Fine
Description: First Edition, First Printing with the words "FIRST EDITION" printed on the copyright page. A beautiful copy with the original dustjacket with some repair. The book is bound in the publisher's cloth and is in great shape with light wear to the boards. The binding is tight and the pages are clean. There is NO writing, marks or bookplates in the book. A lovely copy.
Seller: Magnum Opus Rare Books, Missoula, MT, U.S.A.
Chandler, Raymond. THE BIG SLEEP. Alfred A. Knopf, New York, 1939.
Price: US$8000.00 + shipping
Description: First printing of Chandler's first novel, the inimitable book that marks the apex of noir. An existential confusion pervades this Los Angeles novel, kept at bay only by the sheer stoic will of detective Philip Marlowe, who is first introduced here. Chandler is a master prose stylist, subtly building atmosphere with deceptively simple prose. (In a 1948 letter, Chandler described his goal as "the creation of emotion through dialogue and description" [May 7, to Frederick Lewis Allen]). It is the perfect tone for the American-born subgenre of mystery called noir. An unforgettable work of craft and grit. 7.5'' x 4.5''. Original full orange cloth, stamped in blue on spine and boards. Original unclipped blue and red dust jacket designed by Hans J. Barschel. Blue topstain. pages. [8], 277, [1] pages. Housed in a custom clamshell box. Toning to front pastedowns and hinges, old tape marks expertly repaired with archival Japanese paper on verso of jacket, and minimal, careful restoration to recto of jacket: presents beautifully.
Seller: Type Punch Matrix, Silver Spring, MD, U.S.A.
CHANDLER, Raymond. THE BIG SLEEP. Alfred A. Knopf, 1939.
Price: US$8500.00 + shipping
Description: CHANDLER, Raymond. THE BIG SLEEP. NY: Alfred A. Knopf, 1939. Small 8vo., brown cloth in dust jacket. First Edition. Basis for the 1946 movie, starring Lauren Bacall and Humphrey Bogart as Philip Marlowe. The movie script, based on one of Chandler's premier mystery novels, was co-authored by William Faulkner. Bogart married Bacall in 1945 (his fourth wife). Very Good; some professional archival repairs (replacing small chips or closing tears) d/j. Enclosed in a custom-designed, leather and cloth clam-shell box, with the spine stamped in gilt and silver and the front cover bearing a color reproduction of the dust jacket with the title in raised leather lettering. An attractive copy!
Seller: Antic Hay Books, Asbury Park, NJ, U.S.A.
Chandler, Raymond. The Big Sleep. Knopf, 1939.
Price: US$9500.00 + shipping
Condition: Very Good
Description: New York: Alfred A. Knopf, 1939, 1939. First Edition; advance reading copy of the author's first book. Original printed wrappers; spine faded but intact and not restored; some spotting and wear; near very good. The publisher's promotional front cover copy compares Chandler favorably to Hammett and Cain, which, in retrospect, seems understated. Comes in a custom-made collector's case with leather spine. $9,500.
Seller: Bookbid, Beverly Hills, CA, U.S.A.
Chandler, Raymond. The Big Sleep. Alfred A. Knopf, New York, 1939.
Price: US$10000.00 + shipping
Condition: Fine
Description: First Edition, First Printing with the words "FIRST EDITION" printed on the copyright page page. This ORIGINAL First Issue dustjacket has the publisher's $2.00 printed price present on the front flap and is vibrant in color with minor repair. The book is in excellent condition and is bound in the publisher's cloth with minor wear to the boards. The binding is tight with NO cocking or leaning. The pages are clean with NO marks or bookplates in the book. A lovely copy. We buy SIGNED Chandler First Editions.
Seller: Magnum Opus Rare Books, Missoula, MT, U.S.A.
CHANDLER, Raymond. The Big Sleep. NY: Alfred A. Knopf, 1939.
Price: US$12000.00 + shipping
Condition: Very Good
Description: Advance Reading Copy of this title. A uniquely collectible item. Rarely seen, and seriously beyond scarce. P.O. s name and address on front free endpaper. Presented in a custom cloth clamshell box with handsome leather title label.
Seller: Mystery Pier Books, Inc.,ABAA, ILAB, ABA, West Hollywood, CA, U.S.A.
Chandler, Raymond. The Big Sleep. Alfred A. Knopf, New York, 1939.
Price: US$15000.00 + shipping
Condition: Fine
Description: First Edition, First printing. A beautiful sophisticated dustjacket that is vibrant in color with NO chips or tears. The book is in excellent shape. The binding is tight, and the boards are crisp with light wear to the edges. The pages are clean with NO marks or bookplates in the book. A sharp copy of this true first edition with the ORIGINAL dustjacket.
Seller: Magnum Opus Rare Books, Missoula, MT, U.S.A.
Chandler, Raymond. The Big Sleep. Alfred A. Knopf, New York, 1939.
Price: US$20000.00 + shipping
Condition: Fine
Description: First Edition, First Printing SIGNED by Raymond Chandler on a typed letter laid into the book. A beautiful copy. This is the TRUE FIRST EDITION with the words "FIRST EDITION" printed on the copyright page. This ORIGINAL dustjacket is vibrant in color with minor wear to the edges. This First Issue dustjacket has the $2.00 printed price present with 6 titles printed on the back panel of the dustjacket. The book is in excellent condition. The binding is tight, with NO cocking or leaning and the boards are crisp. The pages are clean with NO writing, marks or bookplates in the book. Overall, a wonderful copy SIGNED by the author. We buy SIGNED Chandler First Editions.
Seller: Magnum Opus Rare Books, Missoula, MT, U.S.A.
CHANDLER, RAYMOND. THE BIG SLEEP. Alfred A. Knopf, 1939., New York, 1939.
Price: US$22500.00 + shipping
Description: First edition. Author's first book. Fine, bright square copy with top edge dark blue and un-faded in dust jacket with a tiny (1/8") closed tear to top edge of rear panel and a tiny (1/8") closed tear and one inch wrinkle to bottom edge of the rear panel. A Haycraft/Queen Cornerstone mystery novel and an exceptional copy. Made into two films of the same name, in 1946 starring Humphrey Bogart and Lauren Bacall, and in 1978 starring Robert Mitchum and Sarah Miles. Housed in a two-tone quarter leather and cloth clam shell case with a leather label on the spine and the titles stamped in gold gilt.
Seller: BUCKINGHAM BOOKS, ABAA, ILAB, IOBA, GREENCASTLE, PA, U.S.A.
CHANDLER, RAYMOND.. The Big Sleep. New York: Alfred A. Knopf, 1939, 1939.
Price: US$25000.00 + shipping
Description: First Edition of Chandler's first book. A fine copy in a price-clipped dust jacket with some minor interior mends. A superb copy; in a custom clamshell box. Made into two films of the same title, and, albeit loosely, clearly inspired another, The Big Lebowski. All books described as first editions are first printings unless otherwise noted.
Seller: Peter L. Stern & Co., Inc, Newton, MA, U.S.A.
Chandler, Raymond. The Big Sleep. Alfred A. Knopf, 1939.
Price: US$27499.99 + shipping
Condition: As New
Description: Stated First Edition, First Printing. Published by Alfred A. Knopf, 1939. Octavo. Orange cloth boards stamped in black. A fine copy in fine dust jacket. Clean, crisp, boards bright with dark blue top stain still vibrant. Inside flyleaf has one very light vertical crease. No writing, stamps, stickers. Dust jacket is fine, price-clipped with three small interior mends. No rips or tears. Panels and spine colors still bright and clear. Housed in a custom red cloth clamshell box. A truly superb copy of Chandler's first book. 277 pages. 100% positive feedback. 30 day money back guarantee. NEXT DAY SHIPPING! Excellent customer service. Please email with any questions or if you would like a photo. All books packed carefully and ships with free delivery confirmation/tracking. All books come with free bookmarks. Ships from Southampton, New York.
Seller: Southampton Books, Southampton, NY, U.S.A.