ORCZY, Baroness [Emma]. Lady Molly of Scotland Yard. London: Cassell and Company, Ltd., 1910. First Edition, First Printing.

A notable early work of detective fiction and an important landmark in the development of the female detective story. Lady Molly Robertson-Kirk is one of the earliest female detectives to headline a collection of mystery stories, solving cases through intuition and an understanding of human behavior often overlooked by her male counterparts.

First edition, first printing, with blank title-page verso and the original 16-page Cassell publisher’s catalogue dated “Fiction—5/10” (May 1910) at rear, an important first-issue point. Illustrated with sixteen full-page plates by Cyrus Cuneo, R.I., including the frontispiece.

Bound in the publisher’s original red cloth, with black lettering to the upper board and gilt lettering to spine. From the library of noted American bibliophile and mystery-fiction collector Adrian Homer Goldstone (1897–1977), with his distinctive pictorial bookplate to the front pastedown. Goldstone was an important collector and bibliographer whose collections included significant holdings of detective and mystery fiction. An additional early ownership signature dated September 1910 appears on the front free endpaper.

Condition: Very Good. Original cloth remains sound with fading and mottling, particularly to spine and boards, along with general rubbing and edge wear consistent with age. Corners and spine ends show wear. Text block & endpapers shows age toning. Interior generally clean and illustrations well preserved. No dust jacket.

A particularly appealing association copy of the scarce 1910 first edition and first issue, combining an important early female-detective work with excellent mystery-collecting provenance.