The Maltese Falcon. by HAMMETT, Dashiell - 1930

New York: Alfred A. Knopf,, 1930. A fine copy. Octavo. Original grey cloth, titles to spine and falcon design to front cover in dark greenish-blue and black, Borzoi Books imprint in black to lower right corner of rear board, top edge blueish-grey, others untrimmed. Housed in a custom black quarter morocco solander box by Zaehnsdorf for Asprey, with titles and ruling in gilt to spine. Vignette title page printed in dark greenish-blue and black. From the Library of Christian Heuer (although unspecified). A trifle rubbed, faint red staining to lower edge of rear board, rear hinge sometime expertly repaired; else remarkably clean and crisp, without ownership inscriptions, a fine copy. First edition, first printing, of one of the greatest detective thrillers of the 20th century. The Maltese Falcon was first published as a 5-part series in the magazine Black Mask; and was adapted as a film noir in 1941, written and directed by John Huston, and featuring Humphrey Bogart in the lead role. Loosely inserted is a related press cutting in German. Layman A3.1.a.