MACHEN, Arthur (pseudonym of JONES, Arthur Llewellyn, 1863-1947). The Three Impostors. New York: Alfred A. Knopf, 1923. 8vo. 287 pp. Publisher's full yellow cloth, blue printed paper label on spine, publisher's unclipped ("$2.50 net") dust jacket. FIRST AMERICAN EDITION IN THE SCARCE ORIGINAL DUST JACKET. 

This episodic novel is about a secret society that commits secret acts of debauchery. This novel is divided into sections; two of those sections, "The Novel of the Black Seal" and "The Novel of the White Powder" influenced the writing of H. P. Lovecraft (these sections "perhaps represent the highwater mark of Machen's skill as a terror-weaver"), with "The Novel of the Black Seal" becoming models for "The Call of Cthulthu," "The Dunwich Horror," and "The Whisperer in Darkness." This same section influenced Robert E. Howard. 

Minor rubbing to cloth binding, some light foxing to edges of text block, a few pages unopened; jacket a bit toned, soiled, with some occasional marginal tears or chips. Still, fine, better than usually seen.