THE FINAL DEDUCTION. A Nero Wolfe Novel.

First edition, first printing. Signed by the author. Inscribed presentation copy. Publisher's original red cloth with blue publisher's device to the upper board and titles to the spine, in the Bill English designed dustwrapper. Top edge light blue. A better than very good copy, the binding square and firm with a little rubbing at the corners and bumping to the spine tips. The contents, with the recipient's pencilled name and address to the front pastedown and a light stain to the margins of pages 6-10, are otherwise clean throughout. Complete with the very good, rubbed and nicked dustwrapper, that has tiny chips at the head and tail of the lightly faded spine, two short closed tears to the bottom of the rear flap fold, and just a touch of spotting to the flap edges. Not price-clipped ($2.95 to the upper front flap).

Inscribed by the author on the day of publication in blue ink on the front endpaper "October 13 - 1961 / To Nick and Peggy / with love - / Rex". The recipients are Hungarian-born American photographer and former Olympic fencer, Nickolas Muray (1892-1965) and his fourth wife Margaret (Peggy) Schwab, an amateur pilot. Hailed as one of the greatest fencers in American history and the master of the three-colour carbon print in commercial photography, Muray's professional successes, while highly impressive, have been somewhat eclipsed in the public eye by his prolific ten-year love affair and enduring friendship with Mexican artist Frida Kahlo. His colour photographs of Kahlo remain the most iconic and recognisable images of the artist, second only to her painted self-portraits. Upon ending their romance in 1941 and Muray returning to New York, he shortly married Peggy and together took up residence at 230 East 50th Street. The twenty-fourth Nero Wolfe novel. (Hubin).