The Sign of the Four
Sign of the Four (The Sign of Four) is Arthur Conan Doyle's second Sherlock Holmes novel, first published in Lippincott's Monthly Magazine in February 1890 and as a book by Spencer Blackett in London that October. Holmes investigates a missing father, gifts of pearls and lost Indian treasure.
- Editions tracked
- 1
- First edition
- Spencer Blackett, 1890
- First published
- Lippincott's Monthly Magazine, 1890
- First UK edition
- Spencer Blackett, 1890
- Series
- Sherlock Holmes novels
The first edition of The Sign of the Four by Arthur Conan Doyle was published in London by Spencer Blackett in 1890. We track 1 edition, with the points that separate the first printing from later ones.
Spot the first edition: Spine, foot: stamped Spencer Blackett's Standard Library (first issue binding) Full identification guide
Which edition do you have?
First edition
Awards, adaptations and setting
Adaptations
- Adventures of Sherlock Holmes; or, Held for Ransom film, 1905
- The Sign of Four film, 1923
- The Sign of Four film, 1932
- Sherlock Holmes and the Sign of Four animated film, 1983
- The Sign of Four television film, 1983
- The Sign of Four television film, 1987
- The Sign of Four television film, 2001
- The Crucifer of Blood adaptation
- The Treasures of Agra television film
Setting and characters
- Characters
- Dr. Watson, Sherlock Holmes, Mary Morstan
- Genre
- crime fiction, detective fiction
Read next
- Comes after
- A Study in Scarlet
- Followed by
- The Adventures of Sherlock Holmes
In print
- Editions recorded
- 962 on Open Library, 809 in English
- Wikipedia
- Articles in 42 languages
- Free to read
- Project Gutenberg (out of copyright in the US)
From Wikidata and Open Library, both CC0. A prize or a new adaptation often lifts demand for the first printing.
Pictures of the book
Freely licensed pictures of the work. They are not necessarily the edition you hold: check the points on each edition's page.
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How to Identify a First Edition
To identify a first edition, check that your copy is the first printing of the first edition. Read the copyright …
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Read the guide →Frequently asked questions
Who published the first edition of The Sign of the Four?
The first edition of The Sign of the Four by Arthur Conan Doyle was published in London by Spencer Blackett in 1890.
How many editions of The Sign of the Four are there?
We track 1 edition of The Sign of the Four, including 1 first edition. Each has its own page with how to identify it.
Has The Sign of the Four been adapted?
Yes, including The Crucifer of Blood (adaptation), The Treasures of Agra (television film), The Sign of Four (television film, 2001), according to Wikidata.
What should I read after The Sign of the Four?
In order, it follows A Study in Scarlet and it is followed by The Adventures of Sherlock Holmes, according to Wikidata.
Can I read The Sign of the Four for free?
Yes: the text is out of copyright in the United States and free to read on Project Gutenberg. Collectors still pay for the first edition, which is the physical object, not the words.
Where these facts come from
- The Sign of the Four, Wikipedia, 2026 (en.wikipedia.org)
- The Sign of Four, The Arthur Conan Doyle Encyclopedia (arthur-conan-doyle.com)
Every fact on this page was checked against the sources listed. Checked 17 October 2026. Reviewed by Harriet Ellis; read how we check facts.