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52 FLEMING, Ian. The Diamond Smugglers. London: Jonathan Cape, 1957 inscribed by the author First edition, first state, with the author’s dated presentation inscription to a decorative bookplate affixed to the front free endpaper: “To Eileen Cond – the faithful one – from Ian Fleming, 1957”. One of only two non-fiction books published by Fleming, The Diamond Smugglers was written in collaboration with John Collard (under the pseudonym “John Blaize”), the MI5 agent who co-ordinated the elimination of a diamond smuggling racket in West Africa during the mid-1950s, and Sir Percy Sillitoe, the former head of MI5 and founder of IDSO. This copy, noted and photographed in Gilbert’s bibliography (p. 467), belonged to a prominent collector of thriller fiction Eileen M. Cond, a correspondent of Ian Fleming and the first Secretary
of the James Bond Fan Club. During the 1950s, Cond ran an 18th-century royal hunting lodge converted to a country house hotel at Deer Park, Honiton, Devon (hence the bookplate design of deer in parkland), with a select clientele. This first state binding is in Jonathan Cape’s regular black cloth blocked in white on the spine; the second state is bound in cheaper materials with bronze lettering. From the Ian Fleming collection of Martin Schøyen (b. 1940), with his bookplate. Octavo. Original black boards, spine lettered in white. With dust jacket illustrated by Denis Piper. Housed in a custom black morocco-backed folding box. Black and white photographs, and three maps. Minor foxing, a fine copy. Some small nicks to a bright and near-fine dust jacket. ¶ Gilbert A15a (1.1); The Schøyen Collection No. 185. £15,000 [155982]
given the means and opportunity to pursue his lifestyle with little inconvenience, leading to the creation of James Bond. This copy is the second issue, with “shoot” correctly printed on p. 10. From the Ian Fleming collection of Martin Schøyen (b. 1940), with his bookplate. Octavo. Original black boards (Gilbert’s A binding, no priority), spine and front board lettered in silver. With dust jacket. Housed in a custom blue quarter morocco solander box. Slight lean to spine, couple of faint marks to boards and browning to free endpapers, contents clean. A near-fine copy in the excellent unclipped dust jacket, slight toning to spine panel, spotting to rear panel and browning to verso, remaining sharp and bright. ¶ Gilbert A3a(1.2); The Schøyen Collection No. 22. £57,500 [155887]
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All items are fully described and photographed at peterharrington.co.uk
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