Red cloth binding with black title on the spine.

We provide an in-depth photographic presentation of this item to stimulate your feeling and touch. More traditional book descriptions are immediately available. 

•   Note: This book carries a £5.00 discount to those that subscribe to the F.B.A. mailing list

Please view our photographs: Here is a quick breakdown of what these specific details mean for this copy of Opal Canyon: 

• The Book & Edition: A 1st edition copy of this western/adventure story published in 1936 by the well-known British publisher [Ward Lock & Co. London]. First editions from this era are highly valued by collectors of vintage Western fiction.
• Size: At 5.2 x 7.6 x 1.6 inches, this is a standard vintage hardcover size (often referred to as a crown octavo format), with a thick spine indicating a robust page count.
• “Fair” Condition: In book-collecting terms, a “Fair” rating means the book is completely intact but shows heavy wear. You can expect issues like a worn or faded spine, bumped corners, significant foxing (brown spots) on the pages, or a loose (but still attached) binding. It usually means it does not have its original dust jacket unless explicitly stated.
• William L. Hawkins, published by Ward Lock & Co. London, generally places its value between £15 and £26 in fair condition.

• The Condition Penalty: In book collecting, condition is everything. A “Fair” grade means the book has heavy, visible wear—such as standard shelf friction, fading, or light foxing (brown aging spots)—and critically, it lacks its original dust jacket. For mid-20th-century Western and adventure fiction, up to 80% to 90% of a book’s premium market value is tied directly to the preservation of that original paper dust jacket.
• Niche Collectibility: While Ward Lock & Co. first editions are highly regarded by vintage fiction enthusiasts, William L. Hawkins is considered a relatively minor or niche author from this golden era of pulp adventure. Demand is stable among specific genre collectors, but it does not carry the high premium of mainstream 1930s literature.