8vo. 288pp. With half-title. Original publisher's cloth, lettered in gilt and black with device in black to upper board. Rubbed, slight loss to sunned spine. Leaves lightly toned/foxed. Presentation copy, inscribed in ink to recto of FFEP: 'To R. Barber with fond love from Emmuska Orczy, 1905' and again to half-title, 'With my dear love Emmuska Orczy, May 1905'.

Baroness Orczy (1865-1947), Hungarian-born British novelist and playwright, most fondly remembered for her adventure series centred around the protagonist of The Scarlet Pimpernel. The Emperor's Candlesticks was Orczy's first work as an author rather than translator. First published in 1899 the novel was a commercial failure, only gaining popularity following Orczy's subsequent success with other titles. The story tells of the kidnapping of a Russian prince by anarchists and the ensuing actions of two spies in aiding and foiling the plot respectively.