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A Secret Sin
William [Tufnell] le Queux
William Le Queux (1864-1927) was a prolific Anglo-French writer who broadcast a wireless service of music before there was a national radio. A Secret Sin or A Madonna of the Music Halls was first published in 1897 by White and Co.
This is an early, cheap paperback novel that has survived more than 100 years. Blampied may have designed covers for more of these cheap books but they are fragile and easily damaged. However, I have found two other cheap paperbacks from this period, one published by Pearson and one by Hodder & Stoughton, so some survive.
(Last updated on 14/07/2022)
First edition, thus
Bibliography code: NEW-14.1
Publisher: George Newnes, Limited
Series: Newnes' Sixpenny copyright novels No. 399
Year: possibly 1914
Format: 16 mo
Pages: pp 2 adverts, pp 124, pp 2 adverts
Binding: printed paper wrappers
Size: 212 x 145 mm
Cover signed: Blampied, lower left on edge of easel
Internal illustrations: none
Price: War price 1 shilling
Printing history: none stated
Printed by: London Colour Printing Copmany, Ltd., Exmoor Street, North Kensington, W.
Notes: The copy in the British Library is dated [1916], but I suspect that it was issued earlier than this, perhaps in 1913/14, because of the quality of the drawing by Blampied and his signature. It may have been first issued at a price of 6d, but when the costs of paper went up during the War, the price was doubled to 1 shilling. This indicates that the book was reprinted, so there was more than one impression.
Cover of book (click to enlarge)