Penny Wise and Book Foolish (Signed Association Copy) by Starrett, Vincent - 1928

New York: Covici-Friede, 1928. 1st Edition. Cloth. Near Fine/Very Good. 8vo., 199pp. Sharp First Edition, bound in green cloth with titles and decoration in silver on spine. Square, tight and clean throughout with little or no interior toning. Minor wear and toning to spine ends extending to part of the top front edge. Still nicely preserved. Attractive unclipped dust-jacket, ($3.00), has a toned spine panel and a couple of shallow creases to rear flap. Inscribed by the Starrett on the ffep to P.M. Stone, fellow bookman, bibliographer, and Baker Street Irregular, who was in the first group of Irregulars to earn an Investiture, ("The Speckled Band"), which was created during the group's annual dinner held at the Murray Hill Hotel in New York City in1944. Stone was also a contributor for "221B: Studies in Sherlock Holmes", edited by Starrett. "For P.M. Stone - Greetings and good wishes. Vincent Starrett". There is a small date in pencil of 8-21-33 just below inscription but it is unclear if it is in Starrett's hand, Stone's, or less likely, someone else who knew or guessed the date in which the inscription was written. Interestingly, though unrelated, laid in is what appears to be an original fold-out copper engraving describing the "...Academical habits of the several Degrees and Offices in the University of Cambridge,1748". It is labeled, (possibly hand-printed), "Vol II, Plate 7" and it appears to have come from "The Universal Magazine" which was published from 1747-1814. How it ended up in what was presumably Stone's book is unknown but it certainly adds more value to an already interesting volume. A very pretty, and quite collectable, association copy.