James Bond First Editions

Call for the Saint.

CHARTERIS, Leslie (1907-1993).

London: Hodder and Stoughton, 1948. [Crime caper] FIRST UK EDITION, first impression. Octavo (20 x 14cm), pp.253; [2], advertisements; [1], blank. Elegantly hand-bound in half mid blue oasis morocco over publisher's cloth sides with 'The Saint' stick man motif and book title blocked in black, spine gilt-lettered in six compartments with traditional raised bands. Clean throughout, small mark to top edge, cloth sides show minor handling and mild toning to edges. A near fine copy in an attractive recent leather binding. Simon Templar, alias The Saint, on two racket-busting adventures in New York and Chicago; 'The King of the Beggars' and 'The Masked Angel'. According to Paul Simpson (The Rough Guide to James Bond, p.47), 'The Saint' is a literary ancestor of 007, the debonair Simon Templar being a gentleman adventurer whose parallels with Bond are obvious. Item #67204

Steinbrunner & Penzler, pp.349-351. See also Gilbert, p.616.

Price: £185.00