The Strand Magazine, volumes I to X. [The Adventures of Sherlock Holmes; The Memoirs of Sherlock Holmes, etc.] by VARIOUS, [DOYLE, Arthur Conan; VERNE, Jules; MORRISON, Arthur, et al.]

London: George Newnes, January 1891 to December 1895. [Literary Magazine] FIRST APPEARANCES. 10 volumes. Large octavo (24 x 18 x 43cm). Illustrated throughout. Original magazine parts bound in half-yearly volumes. Publisher's cyan cloth with titles in black and gilt to spines, and in black with the 'Strand' street scene to uppers. All edges speckled red, except volume II with all edges gilt, and volumes VIII to X with all edges speckled blue. Volumes handled, with some spotting. Occasional leaves folded and incorrectly trimmed. Bookseller's blind stamps to preliminaries of some volumes. Volume II more heavily worn than other volumes, with split hinges and rubbing / toning to spine. Remaining volumes externally uniform. Volume VI also with split hinges. Good. Contains the first appearance of the above mentioned Sherlock Holmes stories, plus 'The Adventure of the Cardboard Box' (volume V, 1893) which was not published in book form until 'His Last Bow' (1917). Several of these Holmes stories feature far more illustrations (notably by Sidney Paget) than in book form, and in some (such as 'Cardboard Box ') the illustrations are exclusive to 'The Strand'. Doyle also contributes the historical caper 'The Exploits and Adventures of Brigadier Gerard' (volumes VIII, IX and X). In addition, the set includes science fiction from Jules Verne; 'Dr Trifulgas' (volume IV, 1893), and 'An Express of the Future' (volume X, 1895). Volumes VII-VIII feature the entire first series of cases for the consulting detective Martin Hewitt; probably the chief rival of Sherlock Holmes- indeed Morrison's ingenious crime stories were commissioned by 'The Strand' entirely due to an appetite for Doyle imitations. A superb literary magazine set.