James Bond First Editions

All Night at Mr. Stanyhurst's.

EDWARDS, Hugh [FLEMING, Ian].

London: Jonathan Cape, 1937. [Historical fiction] FIRST EDITION thus. Octavo (18 x 12cm), pp.221; [3], blank, illustrated by Eric Fraser. Publisher's mid-green bookcloth, blocked in blue. Contents clean, page edges toned, jacket flap tucked in as bookmark, spine darkened/toned. Very good. The tale of a corrupt eighteenth-century rake, mixed with nautical adventure and shipwreck, first published by Cape in 1933, and issued (as here) in their New Library series in 1937 before disappearing from the public. Journalist Ian Fleming first wrote to Cape requesting a copy as early as 1949, long before his debut as the James Bond novelist. The book was so scarce that Cape forwarded their own file copy, which Fleming returned in February 1950 whilst urging the publisher to reprint. Following his success as a thriller writer himself, and after several times of asking, Cape did eventually re-issue this 'lost ' book by the shadowy, unsung author, with a brand new introduction from Fleming, intended to increase sales. This particular copy is from the library of Ian Fleming bibliographer Jon Gilbert (pencil ownership within). Item #71908

Gilbert B5.

Price: £60.00