CHRISTIE, Agatha (1890-1976). Hercule Poirot’s Christmas. London: for The Crime Club by Collins, 1939 [1938].

First edition, a rare presentation copy, inscribed by the author: 'From Agatha Christie'. We can trace only two other signed copies that have sold at auction in the past 40 years. Hubin p. 80.

Octavo. 3 pages of publisher’s advertisements at end (pp.75-6 with two small puncture marks to outer blank margin, pp. 145-6 with clean tear at foot of blank inner margin, pp. 147-8 [divisional title] with faint vertical crease at centre, pp. 149-150 with small crease to top corner from folding, pp.231-2 with small torn loss to lower blank margin, a few finger marks and minor stains to text). Original orange cloth, spine lettered in black (lacking the dust-jacket, spine discoloured, binding somewhat dust-stained and marked, slight wear to spine ends, extremities rubbed, edges with one or two stains, binding slightly cocked). Provenance: presentation inscription by the author on preliminary free endpaper to an unidentified recipient.