CLAYTON RAWSON
Clayton Rawson (1906-1971) was a magician, the editor of Ellery Queen’s Mystery Magazine and one of the greatest of all authors of impossible crime stories. The series detective who appeared in all his stories was The Great Merlini, a New York magician and amateur sleuth called in by the police to solve locked room mysteries. Rawson also published two books, each containing two novellas, about a different magician-detective, Don Diavolo, under the pseudonym Stuart Towne.
Death from a Top Hat, N.Y., Putname, 1938. First edition. A Haycraft-Queen Cornerstone. Spine sunned, else very good plus. $85.00
Death from a Top Hat, London, Black Dagger, 1988. Fine in dust jacket. $35.00
Footprints on the Ceiling, N.Y, Putnam, 1939. First edition. Spine darkened, else very good-near fine. $75.00
Footprints on the Ceiling, N.Y., Putnam, 1939. First edition. Spine darkened and rubbed, edges rubbed; good-very good. $45.00
The Headless Lady, N.Y., Putnam, 1940. First edition. Lending library stamps on title page and front endpaper, which also has a partial label. No other marks in a very good-near fine binding. $60.00
The Headless Lady, Boston, Gregg, 1979. First printing of this reprint edition, with a new introduction by Otto Penzler. Very fine in dust jacket, which has two scuff marks on spine and is folded slightly off-center, as were most copies. $35.00
No Coffin for the Corpse, N.Y., Putnam, 1942. First edition. Bookplate, mark on rear cover, else a fine, fresh copy in a worn dust jacket. $100.00
No Coffin for the Corpse, N.Y., Putnam, 1942. First edition. A fine, fresh copy with a very nice association inscription to a fellow mystery writer: "For Henry Klinger who bought it—with thanks!—and best wishes, Clayton Rawson, 6-30-42." A handsome signed copy. $375.00
No Coffin for the Corpse, N.Y., Putnam, 1942. First edition. About very good. $45.00
No Coffin for the Corpse, Boston, Gregg, 1979. First printing of this reprint edition. With a new introduction by Lynn Biederstadt. Fine in dust jacket. $35.00
No Coffin for the Corpse, Boston, Gregg, 1979. First printing of this edition. With a new introduction by Lynn Biederstadt. Fine in rubbed dust jacket. $25.00
The Great Merlini, Boston, Gregg, 1979. First edition. The complete Great Merlini short stories, with a new introduction by Eleanor Sullivan, the long-time editor of Ellery Queen’s Mystery Magazine. Fine in dust jacket. $100.00
The Great Merlini, Boston, Gregg, 1979. First edition. The complete stories. Fine in dust jacket with a small rubbed spot at base of spine. $90.00
Towne, Stuart (pseudonym of Clayton Rawson), Death Out of Thin Air, N.Y., Coward-McCann, 1941. First edition of a scarce title. Two Don Diavolo novellas. Near fine. $350.00
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