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The Maltese Falcon (First Edition)
by Dashiell Hammett
- Used
- first
- Condition
- See description
- Seller
-
Baltimore, Maryland, United States
Payment Methods Accepted
About This Item
New York: Alfred A. Knopf, 1930. First Edition. First Edition. Perhaps the most influential single work in solidifying the conventions, style, and character of hard-boiled fiction, both a cornerstone and highlight of any collection of twentieth century fiction.
Basis for three film adaptations between 1931 and 1941-the 1941 groundbreaking adaptation by John Huston starring Humphrey Bogart legendary on every level, cementing the foundation of the noir style.
Publisher's cloth. About Near Fine, lacking the dust jacket, with a lightly toned spine and a contemporary owner name at the top left corner of the front pastedown.
Housed in a custom blue quarter-leather clamshell box, with rounded spine, raised bands, and gilt titles.
The Dark Page I: 1940-1949, p. 132.
Basis for three film adaptations between 1931 and 1941-the 1941 groundbreaking adaptation by John Huston starring Humphrey Bogart legendary on every level, cementing the foundation of the noir style.
Publisher's cloth. About Near Fine, lacking the dust jacket, with a lightly toned spine and a contemporary owner name at the top left corner of the front pastedown.
Housed in a custom blue quarter-leather clamshell box, with rounded spine, raised bands, and gilt titles.
The Dark Page I: 1940-1949, p. 132.
Synopsis
The Maltese Falcon , author Dashiell Hammett’s third novel, set the standard by which all subsequent detective fiction would be judged. Set in San Francisco in the late 1920s, the novel introduces us to private detective Sam Spade, who characterizes the archetype of the hard-boiled detective in his dead-pan pursuit of the recovery of a black figurine. Having worked for a time for the Pinkerton Detective Agency in San Francisco, Hammett reportedly drew upon his years as a detective in creating Spade and many of the other characters for The Maltese Falcon . The Maltese Falcon was originally serialized in HL Mencken’s “pulp” magazine, Black Mask, beginning with the September 1929 issue. For publication of the book form, editor Blanche Knopf tried to tone down the overt sexuality of the magazine version, fearing the references would alienate readers, but Hammett prevailed. However, the 1941 film adaptation starring Humphrey Bogart and Mary Astor (the best known of the novel’s three film versions) excised the homosexual subtext of the novel due to Production Code restraints. Today, the movie is considered a film noir classic and the novel is ranked 56th on Modern Library’s “100 Best” English-language novels of the 20th century as well as 54th on The Guardian’s list of the 100 best novels. -
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Details
- Bookseller
- Royal Books, Inc.
(US)
- Bookseller's Inventory #
- 156520
- Title
- The Maltese Falcon (First Edition)
- Author
- Dashiell Hammett
- Book Condition
- Used
- Quantity Available
- 1
- Edition
- First Edition
- Publisher
- Alfred A. Knopf
- Place of Publication
- New York
- Date Published
- 1930
- Keywords
- Books into Film | Hard-boiled Crime Fiction | Film Noir | Mystery and Crime
- Bookseller catalogs
- Books into Film; Film Noir; Hard-boiled Crime Fiction; Mystery and Crime;
Terms of Sale
Royal Books, Inc.
If you have questions about a book, feel free to call us anytime at 410-366-7329. Mailing address: Royal Books / 32 West 25th Street / Baltimore, MD / 21218. We accept VISA/MC/AMEX/DISCOVER, check or money order, and PayPal (ID is mail@royalbooks.com).
All books noted as First Editions are also First Printings unless indicated otherwise. All books are guaranteed to be as described, and may be returned at any time for any reason for a full refund, including return postage. Libraries, institutions, and accredited dealers can be sent books with invoice.About the Seller
Royal Books, Inc.
Biblio member since 2007
Baltimore, Maryland
About Royal Books, Inc.
We are members of ABAA and ILAB, and specialize in First Editions of Modern Literature, Crime Fiction, Science Fiction, Music, Photography, Art, and Cinema. You may search our entire stock, get directions, or view our newest arrivals by catalog or category by going to our easy-to-use catalog homepage:
www.royalbooks.com
We are an open shop located in the midtown section of Baltimore. Check our website for directions if you are coming through the Baltimore area. We are open 10AM-6PM EST, Monday through Friday. You may email an order at any time, 24 hours a day.
www.royalbooks.com
We are an open shop located in the midtown section of Baltimore. Check our website for directions if you are coming through the Baltimore area. We are open 10AM-6PM EST, Monday through Friday. You may email an order at any time, 24 hours a day.
Glossary
Some terminology that may be used in this description includes:
- Raised Band(s)
- Raised bands refer to the ridges that protrude slightly from the spine on leather bound books. The bands are created in the...
- Jacket
- Sometimes used as another term for dust jacket, a protective and often decorative wrapper, usually made of paper which wraps...
- Spine
- The outer portion of a book which covers the actual binding. The spine usually faces outward when a book is placed on a shelf....
- Publisher's cloth
- A hardcover book comprised of cloth over hard pasteboard boards. ...
- First Edition
- In book collecting, the first edition is the earliest published form of a book. A book may have more than one first edition in...
- Clamshell Box
- A protective box designed for storing and preserving a bound book or loose sheets. A clamshell box is hinged on one side, with...
- Gilt
- The decorative application of gold or gold coloring to a portion of a book on the spine, edges of the text block, or an inlay in...
- Fine
- A book in fine condition exhibits no flaws. A fine condition book closely approaches As New condition, but may lack the...
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