Emery Power

In the short story The Apples of the Hesperides, Emery Power is a wealthy American financier and also a connoisseur and collector of fine works of art.

Some ten years before the events in the story, he had won an auction for the purchase of a renaissance era golden goblet from the Marchese di San Veratrino. However, before he could take possession of the item, the Marchese's palace was robbed and the goblet was stolen. Although the Marchese offered to refund the the ten thousand dollars which he had paid, Power declined it. An international gang of jewel thieves was thought to be the main culprits but Power believed the item had been stolen at the behest of one Sir Reuben Rosenthal, a business rival of his. Power preferred to retain legal possession of the goblet and attempt to recover the item through the efforts of the police and private investigators.

Ten years later, however, Sir Reuben and Power patched up their differences and became business partners. Sir Reuben told him he did not have the goblet and this time Power believed him. Power found himself back at the beginning of his quest for the stolen item and the trail very cold. Not wanting to admit defeat, he called on Hercule Poirot.

Power was described as a man with a "generous brow". He had "a mean mouth" and a jaw with a "rapacious line" and "piercing visionary eyes".