Item #56998 On Her Majesty's Secret Service. Ian Lancaster FLEMING.
On Her Majesty's Secret Service.

On Her Majesty's Secret Service.

London: Jonathan Cape, 1963. SIGNED BY IAN FLEMING and additionally INSCRIBED BY THE DEDICATEE 'Sable Basilisk' (Robin de la Lanne Mirrlees). Second Impression. Publisher's black cloth with silver titles to spine. Housed in a leather-spined clamshell box. Very good indeed, with a little edge-spotting, neat reference number '1M' to flyleaf, jacket close to fine. 'Sable Basilisk' was the fictional name Fleming gave to the genealogy expert Rouge Dragon (the position held by Mirrlees at the College of Arms, London). Mirrlees had an extensive research correspondence with Fleming, and it was he who first revealed to the author Bond's family motto "The World Is Not Enough" (Giblin, p.39). Mirrlees later published an account of his dealings with Fleming as 'Sable Basilisk', a privately printed volume of great rarity among Bond collectors. Bibliographical Note; this is the third such copy we have handled bearing the signatures of both Fleming and Mirrlees, and all have been second impressions- clearly a private or informal signing took place where second printings were provided. Item #56998

Gilbert, Jon. Ian Fleming: The Bibliography, A11a (2). Provenance: previously sold by Asprey [gilt-stamped solander box], later Adrian Harrington [Inventory no.39658, February 2012 £6750].

Price: £8,750.00

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