Report on Planet Three and Other Speculations -- Wonderful Association Copy signed by Arthur C. Clarke and Isaac Asimov

New York: Harper & Row, 1972. First Edition 2nd Printing. Hardcover. Near Fine/Near Fine. A very rare, perhaps one-of-a-kind copy that features the signatures of Arthur C. Clarke and Isaac Asimov (two of the "Big Three" of classic science fiction writing along with Robert Heinlein) within the context of the famous "Clarke-Asimov Treaty." Clarke and Asimov first met in New York City in 1953, and they traded friendly insults and gibes for decades. At some point they established an oral agreement, the "Clarke-Asimov Treaty," which stipulated that when asked who was better, Clarke would say he was the better science fiction writer and Asimov was the better science writer (with the other being the second-best in each respective genre). In 1972, Clarke put the treaty on paper in his dedication to Asimov in Report on Planet Three-- "In accordance with the terms of the Clarke-Asimov treaty, the second-best science writer dedicates this book to the second-best science-fiction writer." This copy is inscribed by Clarke in the year of publication, and additionally signed by Asimov underneath the dedication. Near-fine with a touch of shelf wear in a near-fine dust jacket. As there are currently no copies for sale on line of this title simply signed by Clarke, it would seem unlikely other copies exist signed by both him and Asimov. In any event, a very special and unique item connecting these two science fiction giants.