James Bond First Editions

Great Novelists and Their Novels.

MAUGHAM, William Somerset (1874-1965).

Philadelphia: The John C. Winston Co., 1948. [Modern Literature] FIRST U.S. EDITION. Octavo (22 x 14cm) pp.[vi]; 245; [3], blank. Publisher's red cloth in typographic dust-wrapper priced at £3.00. A fine copy of the book in a very good used wrapper with some chips and rubs, some scrapes to spine, tape marks to reverse side. Published later in Britain as Ten Novels and Their Authors (1954), following the serialisation in the Sunday Times secured by Ian Fleming. It was a considerable scoop and a major success for the newspaper, encouraging the owner Lord Kemsley to publish a separate magazine section, often leading with a book serial. The magazine supplement was born, and when revamped as 'The Sunday Time Colour Section in February 1962, its originator Ian Fleming was rewarded with a serial of his novella 'The Living Daylights'. This copy is from the prize-winning Ian Fleming Bibliographical Archive, assembled by Jon Gilbert, with his pencilled ownership within. Item #71547

Stott; A Bibliography of the Works of W. Somerset Maugham. Gilbert, p.443.

Price: £48.00