HAMMETT, Dashiell (1894-1961). The Glass Key. New York: Knopf, 1931.

First American edition of the novel Hammett considered to be his favourite. The London printing of The Glass Key appeared on 20 January 1931, preceding this edition by just over three months. Paramount purchased the film rights prior to its release for a reported $25,000, and the film studio ultimately produced two studio length features adapted from the novel: the first in 1935 starring George Raft, Edward Arnold, and Claire Dodd; the second in 1942, capitalising on the success of Hammett’s The Maltese Falcon, and starring Brian Donlevy, Veronica Lake, and Alan Ladd. Layman A4.2.a.

Octavo. Title with illustration of a key printed in green, text untrimmed. Original light green cloth, dark green key stamped on upper cover within a red single-rule frame, spine decorated in dark red and green (some wear to lower edges, head and tail of spine lightly bruised); original pictorial dust-jacket (spine ends frayed with small loss, occasional short closed tears along edges, 60mm tear to upper flap fold, some light rubbing and creasing); housed in modern green quarter morocco clamshell box, spine lettered in gilt.