PLAYBACK. Presentation copy signed and inscribed by Raymond Chandler and Helga Greene.
London: Hamish Hamilton, 1958. First Edition. Hardcover. 12mo - over 6¾ - 7¾" tall. Very good+ condition / Very good- condition (DJ). Item #019497
208 pages. Original orange hardcover binding with minimal shelfwear and minimal soiling. A few pages of text and the closed page edges are lightly foxed/spotted, and one page of text has a light crease. The rear endpaper is foxed and browned, and the front endpaper is browned. The price-clipped dustjacket is moderately rubbed, is sunned on the spine, and has several creases and tears; protected in archival mylar. Signed and inscribed by both the author and his fiancee, to an individual attributed to be Chandler's driver and part-time handyman, on the front endpaper "To My Dear Friend Leon, With love, [signed] Ray, La Jolla, March 7th, 1959" and "To the American I would most like to take back with me to England -- Leon. Love & best wishes from [signed] Helga. March 7th, 1959". The inscriptions date to only nineteen days prior to Chandler's death. "Playback" is the only Chandler novel not to have been cinematically adapted. This English first edition preceded the American first edition.
Price: $12,500.00