Rouge
London: Brown, Langham, 1906. From the Bart Auerbach Collection. 8vo. Original light gray pictorial cloth, untrimmed; in the rare printed orange dust jacket. Small chip at top of spine of jacket. Item #409189
First edition of this novel of mystery and intrigue (listed in Hubin's 'Bibliography of Crime Fiction'). If there were a dedication copy of 'Rouge,' this would be it, but unfortunately the book doesn't have a printed dedication (possibly because it's a collaboration). It does, however, have a wonderful inscription by Macfall to his wife Mabel: "To Mab who christened it, with all his love and in acknowledgment of all her help and enthusiasm at a time when the days were dark and the making of this book a grim jest… from her husband and friend Haldane Macfall… April 11, 1906. The first copy published." Frontispiece of Mrs. Macfall, pictorial representation of her (with a touch of rouge) on the front cover – the author often designed the covers for his books – and with her elaborate armorial bookplate. The fine Paul Lemperly copy (bookplate). (BA).
Price: $850.00