James Bond First Editions

Horse Under Water.

DEIGHTON, Len (born 1929).

London: Jonathan Cape, 1963. [Thriller] FIRST EDITION, first impression. Octavo (20 x 14cm), pp.255 [1]. Publisher's red cloth with gilt titles to spine, and decoration stamped in black and blind to upper, plain black endpapers (earliest version -see below), dust-jacket designed by Raymond Hawkey priced at 16s. No inscriptions, contents clean. Some dustiness and toning to both book and wrapper, some edge wear and soiling to lower margin of jacket. Overall, a very good used copy. The author's second novel, which was read in proof form by Ian Fleming (who shared the same publisher as Deighton). The long blurb on the rear panel of the jacket mentions both 'Dr. No' and Ian Fleming, as well as drawing a comparison with Graham Greene. The book was issued simultaneously with either printed crossword endpapers (and a loose crossword form), or with plain black endpapers and no slip; the plain copies were specifically for reviewers, as the author and publisher did not want the crossword gimmick to be revealed/completed prior to publication. Technically speaking, the plain endpapers were issued before the printed ones. Source: Bibliographer Jon Gilbert/Jonathan Cape Archive. Item #68012

Milward-Oliver; Len Deighton Annotated Bibliography. See also Gilbert.

Price: £95.00