The Hound of the Baskervilles

5b Arthur Conan Doyle, Illustrated by Sidney Paget. London: George Newnes, 1902. First Edition With Letter Written from his home Undershaw in Hindhead by Jean Leckie.

Notes

The Hound of the Baskervilles is a classic Sherlock Holmes novel by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle, first published in 1902, and widely regarded as one of the most atmospheric and enduring stories in the detective genre. Set on the misty moors of Devonshire, the novel follows Holmes and Dr. Watson as they investigate the mysterious death of Sir Charles Baskerville, which appears linked to an old family legend involving a demonic hound that haunts the Baskerville lineage. With Holmes remaining in London for part of the case, much of the initial investigation falls to Watson, allowing readers to see the eerie landscape and rising tension through his eyes. As the plot unfolds, the supernatural elements are gradually peeled away to reveal a cunning human motive, underscoring Doyle’s central theme: that even the most terrifying mysteries have rational explanations. Blending Gothic horror with deductive brilliance, the novel remains one of the most beloved entries in the Holmes canon.

Undershaw was the home of Sir Arthur Conan Doyle from 1897 to 1907, located in Hindhead, Surrey. He moved there primarily for the health of his first wife, Louise, who had tuberculosis. The house became a creative haven where Doyle wrote many important works—including The Hound of the Baskervilles (published 1902).

Jean Leckie, later Lady Conan Doyle, was the second wife of Sir Arthur Conan Doyle, whom he married in 1907 after the death of his first wife. They met in 1897 and maintained a close, devoted relationship for a decade before marrying. Intelligent and musically gifted, Jean was not only a companion but also played a supportive role in Conan Doyle’s professional life. She is known to have assisted with secretarial duties and correspondence, particularly during periods when Doyle was overwhelmed with public attention or deeply involved in his spiritualist pursuits.

Description

Publishers red cloth with gilt and black tiles and design to the front and spine. Illustrated with 16 full page plates by Sidney Paget. Some bumping to the spine tips and a very short split at the upper spine fold. Gilt is bright and cloth lightly faded with a few minor marks and some wrinkling to the rear board. The contents entirely complete. Some spotting to the endpapers, prelims and closed text block edge, otherwise the contents are clean throughout and without inscriptions or stamps. Housed in a bespoke, red cloth solander case. 

Loose handwritten secretarial letter within written by Jean Leckie reads “Dear Sir:- / I beg to enclose you / a copy of a photograph of / myself which I should not / object to being reproduced. / Yours faithfully / Arthur Conan Doyle”