Available Copies from Independent Booksellers
Chandler, Raymond. The Simple Art of Murder. Hamish Hamilton, Ltd., London, 1950.
Price: US$44.90 + shipping
Condition: Good
Description: First UK edition. Originally published in the US by Houghton Mifflin in 1950. Surface marking and staining to the maroon boards with a small scrape to the centre of the front panel. Spine and edges are faded. Rubbing to edges and corners with a small patch of fraying to the spine next to the rear panel. Binding is a little slack. Page edges browned with some scattered dark spots to the top edges and two small stains and some light marking to the fore edges. Browning to endpapers. No jacket. First printing.
Seller: Raymond Tait, Beccles, SUFFO, United Kingdom
CHANDLER, Raymond. The Simple Art of Murder. Houghton Mifflin Company, Boston, 1950.
Price: US$75.00 + shipping
Condition: Good
Description: First edition. Gray cloth boards stamped in orange and yellow. Good only, with soiled endpapers, bumping to the spine ends and corners, toning and soiling to the boards and spine, lacking the dust jacket if issued.
Seller: Between the Covers-Rare Books, Inc. ABAA, Gloucester City, NJ, U.S.A.
CHANDLER, Raymond. THE SIMPLE ART OF MURDER. Houghton Mifflin Boston, 1950.
Price: US$109.03 + shipping
Description: 8 vo. Pp: 533. ISBN: none. Cream cloth boards with publisher's orange and yellow titling and decoration. Attractive bookplate of one former owner, the signature of another on ffep. First time these stories were collected in book form. Good. A few marks to somewhat faded boards. Some spots to edge of paper block which appear on pages 18-26 but only occasionally at very edges otherwise. Darkening to corner of paper block and pages edges untrimmed.
Seller: Any Amount of Books, London, United Kingdom
Chandler, Raymond. The Simple Art of Murder. Houghton Mifflin Company, Boston, 1950.
Price: US$150.00 + shipping
Condition: Good
Description: 8vo. Hardcover with tan cloth boards. Dust jacket taped on panels to secure it to the book. The condition of the book is Good (binding weak, text block aged and foxing, hinges loose). The condition of the dust jacket is Poor (several rips, creases, a small section of the top end of the spine worn away, wear across the general jacket, covered in a mylar protector to prevent further wear). 533.
Seller: Page 1 Books - Special Collection Room, Albuquerque, NM, U.S.A.
CHANDLER, RAYMOND. The Simple Art of Murder. Boston Houghton Mifflin 1950, 1950.
Price: US$250.00 + shipping
Description: First American Edition. Very good in an excellent facsimile dust jacket. Contains ChandlerÕs classic essay on hard-boiled mystery fiction and the very best of his short stories.
Seller: James Pepper Rare Books, Inc., ABAA, Santa Barbara, CA, U.S.A.
Raymond Chandler. THE SIMPLE ART OF MURDER [Second impression]. Hamish Hamilton, LOndon, 1950.
Price: US$320.69 + shipping
Condition: Near Fine
Description: Second impression of the first UK edition, published in December 1950 - the first printing was published earlier in the same year. The first US edition was also published in the same year by Houghton Mifflin, New York. ***A near fine copy in maroon cloth-covered boards with gilt titles to the spine. The gilt is still beautifully bright. The boards are clean and unmarked. Head and tail of spine slightly creased. Corners sharp. Page block edges nice and clean. Spine tight. Internally also near fine, with no inscriptions - just a small contemporary Foyles label to the front pastedown, hidden under the dustwrapper flap. Interior pages clean. No creases or tears. ***In a very good attractively illustrated pictorial dustwrapper, which is largely complete and bright. The dustwrapper is unclipped and retains the original publisher's printed price of 10.s 6d. net. with 'second impression' correctly stated. There is general edge wear and some loss at the head and tail of the spine, which just affects some of the lettering [please see scans]. The flaps are clean and intact without any creasing. The colours of the dustwrapper are still vibrant and unfaded even on the spine. ***190 mm x 125 mm. 333 pages. ***Contents: Introduction, Finger Man, Smart-Aleck Kill, Pick-up on Noon Street, The King in Yellow, Pearls are a Nuisance, Nevada Gas, Spanish Blood, The Simple Art of Murder. ***'The realist in murder does not inhabit a very fragrant world. Raymond Chandler's criminals have little use for gentility and his detectives spend no time wondering who trampled on the flower-bed under the library window. But few can resist when Mr. Chandler summons us away from contemplating crimes at vicarage garden parties and plunge us into a society where people commit murder for reasons, not just to provide a corpse. Here in seven long stories, none of which has appeared in book form before, he shows his ability to create a tenser atmosphere in half a dozen lines than most writers can in as many pages. Philip Marlowe figures in some of the stories, and in an essay which gives the book its title Mr. Chandler considers the role of the detective in fiction to-day and lays about him as vigorously as any of his own heroes. [Quote taken from the front flap of the dustwrapper] ***'"The Simple Art of Murder" is hard-boiled detective fiction author Raymond Chandler's critical essay, published along with a collection of early short stories. The essay was first published in the "Atlantic Monthly" in Dec 1944, and also appeared in the April 15, 1950 "Saturday Review of Literature". The article, slightly re-written for the book, served to introduce the story collection, which consisted of seven of Chandler's early stories pre-dating his first novel, "The Big Sleep". The essay is considered to be a seminal piece of literary criticism. Although Chandler's primary topic is the art (and failings) of detective fiction, he touches on general literature and modern society as well. Chandler reserves his praise for Dashiell Hammett. Although Chandler and Hammett were contemporaries and grouped as the founders of the hard-boiled school, Chandler speaks of Hammett as the "one individual. picked out to represent the whole movement," noting Hammett's mastery of the "American language", his adherence to reality, and that he "gave murder back to the kind of people that commit it for reasons, not just to provide a corpse.' ***A nice Raymond Chandler early post-war edition - second impression, in nice collectable condition. Very desirable in the original illustrated dustwrapper in this bright and near complete condition. Scarce thus. ***'For all our books, postage is charged at cost, allowing for packaging: any shipping rates indicated on ABE are an average only: we will reduce the P & P charge where appropriate - please contact us for postal rates for heavier books and sets etc.
Seller: Orlando Booksellers, Lincoln, United Kingdom
Chandler, Raymond. The Simple Art of Murder. Houghton and Mifflin, Boston, 1950.
Price: US$474.99 + shipping
Condition: Very Good
Description: Tan cloth with orange/yellow stamped titles, orange topstain. First edition with 1950 date to TP/CP. Spine ends/points slightly bumped, minor ridge to spine. Light foxing to block edge and endpages. Several previously folded corners that are now flattened. Very minor wave to some pages. Small erasure to ffep else unmarked. Front hinge a bit loose. The DJ in mylar has losses to spine ends/points, edge creasing, soil, rubbing, and tears along rear gutter. ; 8vo 8" - 9" tall
Seller: curtis paul books, inc., Northridge, CA, U.S.A.
Chandler, Raymond. The Simple Art of Murder. Houghton Mifflin Co., Boston, 1950.
Price: US$600.00 + shipping
Condition: Near Fine
Description: Tan cloth, lettered in orange with yellow accents. First U.S. edition w/ matching title/copyright date (1950). Slight shelf wear, cover cloth a bit toned toward edges with more pronounced toning to bottom rear corner, text block edges also a bit toned by age. Former owner's book plate mounted on front flyleaf. 533 pp. Color illus. (art by Artzybasheff) dust jacket is chipped with minor loss at corners and spine extremities, creasing along front flap fold and partial separation along rear flap fold, light dampstaining to lower rear panel and along lower rear flap fold, sunned spine panel, $3.50 price intact, still presents well in new mylar. Size: 8vo - over 7¾" - 9¾" tall
Seller: Saucony Book Shop, Kutztown, PA, U.S.A.
Chandler, Raymond. The Simple Art of Murder. Houghton Mifflin, Boston, 1950.
Price: US$600.00 + shipping
Condition: Very Good
Description: Sand cloth binding with gilt spine in pictorial dust jacket with fade to spine. small dampstain rear of dj. Shallow chipping. Tape to rear of dj Faded orange top stain. 1 of 8000 copies printed. A very good copy. Size: Octavo
Seller: Contact Editions, ABAC, ILAB, Toronto, ON, Canada
Raymond Chandler. The Simple Art of Murder. Houghton Mifflin Company, Boston, 1950.
Price: US$735.00 + shipping
Condition: Very Good
Description: First edition, first priniting based on jacket and copyright page. A compilation of short stories, along with an introduction and the critical essay, 'The Simple Art of Muder,' as an afterward. Also includes the short stories, "Finger Man," "Smart-Aleck Kill," "Guns at Cyrano's," "Pick-Up on Noon Street," "Goldfish," "The King in Yellow," "Pearls are a Nuisance," "I'll be Waiting," "Red Wind," "Nevada Gas," "Spanish Blood," "Trouble is my Business." In original pictoral dust jacket with the image of macabre arms holding a paint brish and pallet. The jacket is unclipped ($3.50) and in protective sheet. Creasing, chipping, tape at most corners and at head/tail of spine, overall well worn but all present. Light beige cloth over boards with yellow design and light orange lettering on front and spine. Fraying at tail of spine, gently rubbing elsewhere, two short marks to front. Orange top-stain. Gutter cracked at title page. Interior is clean and clear. Pages:(10) 533 Dimensions:8½ x 5¾ x 1½.
Seller: John and Tabitha's Kerriosity Bookshop, Minneapolis, MN, U.S.A.
Chandler, Raymond. The Simple Art of Murder (1st edition). Houghton Mifflin Company, New York, 1950.
Price: US$775.00 + shipping
Condition: Very Good
Description: Houghton Mifflin Co. 1950. New York. 533 pages. First edition 1st printing in first issue DJ with $3.50 price intact on flap. 1950 date is on both the copyright page and the title page. Book is square and tight with clean panels. Only most minor soiling with one corner slightly less than sharp. Previous owner's name neatly written on FFEP. Vintage bookseller sticker on rear pastedown. Classic original 1st issue Artzybasheff DJ is attractive and bright. Small chips to DJ corner fold as well as at foot and crown of DJ backstrip. Rear of DJ shows soiling. A small closed tear to DJ rear edge. One of Chandler's more elusive 1st printings in DJ.
Seller: Medium Rare Books, Mountainside, NJ, U.S.A.
Price: US$800.00 + shipping
Condition: Very Good
Description: x+533 pages. Octavo (8 1/4" x 5 3/4") bound in original publisher's beige cloth with brown lettering to spine and cover in original pictorial jacket. The Simple Art of Murder is hard-boiled detective fiction author Raymond Chandler's critical essay, a magazine article, and his collection of short stories. The essay was first published in The Atlantic Monthly in December 1944. The magazine article appeared in the Saturday Review of Literature, April 15, 1950. The article, somewhat rewritten, served to introduce the collection The Simple Art of Murder, 1950 (Houghton Mifflin Co.), which contained eight of Chandler's early stories pre-dating his first novel, The Big Sleep. The essay is considered a seminal piece of literary criticism. Although Chandler's primary topic is the art (and failings) of detective fiction, he touches on general literature and modern society as well. Chandler reserves his praise for Dashiell Hammett. Although Chandler and Hammett were contemporaries and grouped as the founders of the hard-boiled school, Chandler speaks of Hammett as the "one individual. picked out to represent the whole movement," noting Hammett's mastery of the "American language", his adherence to reality, and that he "gave murder back to the kind of people that commit it for reasons, not just to provide a corpse." Condition: Book plate to front paste-down, spine ends rubbed with a few minor splits, some age toning to edges. Jacket spine sunned, edge wear with some small chips and closed tears and creases, some tape repairs to verso, spine head chipped with tape repair else a very good copy in about a very good jacket.
Seller: The Book Collector, Inc. ABAA, ILAB, Fort Worth, TX, U.S.A.
Chandler, Raymond. Simple Art of Murder. Houghton Mifflin Company, Boston, 1950.
Price: US$1250.00 + shipping
Condition: Fine
Description: First Edition, First Printing published 1950. This First Issue dustjacket has the $3.50 printed price present on the front flap with light wear to the spine. The book is in great shape with minor wear to the boards. The pages are clean with NO marks or bookplates in the book. A lovely copy.
Seller: Magnum Opus Rare Books, Missoula, MT, U.S.A.
Chandler, Raymond. Simple Art of Murder. Houghton Mifflin Company, Boston, 1950.
Price: US$1750.00 + shipping
Condition: Fine
Description: First Edition, First Printing. A beautiful copy. This ORIGINAL dustjacket is vibrant in color with minor wear to the edges. The book is bound in the publisher's cloth and 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. A beautiful copy in collector's condition.
Seller: Magnum Opus Rare Books, Missoula, MT, U.S.A.
Raymond Chandler. The Simple Art of Murder. Houghton Mifflin Company, USA, 1950.
Price: US$1924.14 + shipping
Condition: Near Fine
Description: The Simple Art of Murder by Raymond Chandler First Edition Houghton Mifflin Company 1950. A near fine copy. Free of inscriptions, contents clean and unblemished throughout. No foxing to edges and top edge tint still very much bold. Covers are unmarked and have no toning to spine. In original near fine dust jacket. Not price clipped and with no fading to red lettering on spine. For further images please see Brought to Book Ltd.
Seller: Brought to Book Ltd, London, United Kingdom
Chandler, Raymond. THE SIMPLE ART OF MURDER. Houghton Mifflin Company, Boston, 1950.
Price: US$4500.00 + shipping
Description: First Printing, one of 8,000 copies. Octavo (21cm); beige cloth, with titling and decorations stamped in tan and pale yellow; yellowish-brown topstain; dustjacket; x,533,[1]pp. Subtle tanning to upper and lower board edges, with lower board corners imperceptibly tapped; contemporary rubber-stamped price to rear endpaper, else clean throughout; Near Fine. In the dustjacket designed by Boris Artzybasheff, unclipped (priced $3.50), with some trivial wear to extremities, a faint vertical crease to front flap, a handful of closed tears, and a tiny splash mark to front panel (visible only on verso); an unrestored, Very Good+ to Near Fine example, showing no trace of fading to the spine panel found in even the best of copies. A significant collection, containing 12 of Chandler's short stories which first appeared in the pages of Black Mask, Dime Detective, Detective Fiction Weekly, The Saturday Evening Post, and The Saturday Review of Literature. Includes Chandler's oft-quoted and much-anthologized essay "The Simple Art of Murder," which first appeared in the Atlantic Monthly (1944). A superb copy of this Haycraft-Queen Cornerstone title. Bruccoli A9.1.a; Hubin, p.76.
Seller: Captain Ahab's Rare Books, ABAA, Stephenson, VA, U.S.A.
CHANDLER, RAYMOND. The Simple Art of Murder. Boston Houghton Mifflin 1950, 1950.
Price: US$4500.00 + shipping
Description: First American Edition. Signed by Raymond Chandler on a card affixed to the front flyleaf. Inscribed: ÒYours very sincerely, Raymond Chandler, La Jolla, California, April 6, 1952Ó. Very good plus in a very good price-clipped bright dust jacket, a little sunning at spine, with a few small mends by an expert paper conservationist. Contains ChandlerÕs classic essay on hard-boiled mystery fiction and the very best of his short stories.
Seller: James Pepper Rare Books, Inc., ABAA, Santa Barbara, CA, U.S.A.