BLACK ORCHIDS

First UK edition, first printing. Original red cloth with black titles to the spine, in dustwrapper. A near fine copy, the binding square and firm,with a little rubbing to the extremities, the fore-edge of the lower board with two slight, shallow bumps. There is a previous owner's inscription to the front free endpaper, the contents are otherwise bright and clean throughout. Complete with the very good, lightly rubbed, nicked and creased dustwrapper that is faded to the spine and has a 3mm closed tear to the top edge of the front panel. Not price-clipped (7s 6d on the lower front flap). An attractive example of a very scarce title in dustwrapper.

A collection of two Nero Wolfe stories, 'Black Orchids' and 'Cordially Invited to Meet Death'. The ninth Nero Wolfe book and Rex Stout's first short story collection. First published in 1942 in the US by Farrar and Rinehart. (Hubin; Curran, John: The Hooded Gunman).