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Incendiary - SIGNED -
Chris Cleave
2005 - Chatto &, London - First Edition. Number 17 of 500 limited copies
‘An al-Qaeda bomb attack on a London soccer match provides the tragicomic donnée of former Daily Telegraph journalist Cleave's impressive multilayered debut: a novel-length letter from an enraged mother to Osama bin Laden. Living hand to mouth in London's East End, the unnamed mother's life is shattered when her policeman husband (part of a bomb disposal unit) and four-year-old son are killed in the stadium stands.’ – Publisher’s Weekly.
‘Arguably the strangest epistolary novel ever written’ – Newsweek.
True first and limited edition issued two weeks before the trade edition. Signed by the author and with a typed note of thanks. Unfortunately, it was published on the 7 July 2005, the day of the London bombings and most of the major bookshops removed it from their shelves.
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Price HK$ 900
2005 - Chatto &, London - First Edition. Number 17 of 500 limited copies
‘An al-Qaeda bomb attack on a London soccer match provides the tragicomic donnée of former Daily Telegraph journalist Cleave's impressive multilayered debut: a novel-length letter from an enraged mother to Osama bin Laden. Living hand to mouth in London's East End, the unnamed mother's life is shattered when her policeman husband (part of a bomb disposal unit) and four-year-old son are killed in the stadium stands.’ – Publisher’s Weekly.‘Arguably the strangest epistolary novel ever written’ – Newsweek.
True first and limited edition issued two weeks before the trade edition. Signed by the author and with a typed note of thanks. Unfortunately, it was published on the 7 July 2005, the day of the London bombings and most of the major bookshops removed it from their shelves.
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Price HK$ 900
All Men are Lonely Now - Signed & Inscribed -
Francis Clifford (pseud. Arthur Thompson)
1967 - Hodder and Stoughton, London - First Edition
A rather magnificent association copy, inscribed to Audrey and Miles Tripp the British crime and thriller writer who used the pseudonyms Michael Brett and John Michael Brett. Both Tripp and Thompson (who wrote under the pseudonym of Francis Clifford) where members of the Detection Club.
The inscription is dated 1967, the year of publication, using his actual name Arthur, and then signed as Francis Clifford to the title page.:-
‘To Audrey and Miles
with all the good wishes in the world
Arthur’
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Price HK$ 2,000
1967 - Hodder and Stoughton, London - First Edition
A rather magnificent association copy, inscribed to Audrey and Miles Tripp the British crime and thriller writer who used the pseudonyms Michael Brett and John Michael Brett. Both Tripp and Thompson (who wrote under the pseudonym of Francis Clifford) where members of the Detection Club.The inscription is dated 1967, the year of publication, using his actual name Arthur, and then signed as Francis Clifford to the title page.:-
‘To Audrey and Miles
with all the good wishes in the world
Arthur’
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Price HK$ 2,000
The Secret Agent. A Simple Tale -
Joseph Conrad
1907 - Methuen &, London - First Edition
‘I confess that it makes a grisly skeleton. But I will submit that telling Winnie Verloc’s story to its anarchistic end of utter desolation, madness an despair, and telling it as I have told it here, I have not intended to commit a gratuitous outrage on the feelings of mankind’ – Conrad, of The Secret Agent in a later edition.
One of the first examples of a double agent ever produced on paper, and the first book to examine terrorism as a plot device, Conrad’s novel follows Adolf Verloc: a spy with an allegiance to an unnamed country, and his brother-in-law Stevie as they track down a conglomerate of anarchists, terrorists, and spies, risking the loss of everything they hold dear. Based on the true events of the Greenwich Bombing of 1894, Conrad’s Stevie follows a similar trajectory to that of French anarchist, Martial Bourdin.
‘I am afraid that if you want to go down into history you'll have to do something for it.’
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Price HK$ 10,000
1907 - Methuen &, London - First Edition
‘I confess that it makes a grisly skeleton. But I will submit that telling Winnie Verloc’s story to its anarchistic end of utter desolation, madness an despair, and telling it as I have told it here, I have not intended to commit a gratuitous outrage on the feelings of mankind’ – Conrad, of The Secret Agent in a later edition.One of the first examples of a double agent ever produced on paper, and the first book to examine terrorism as a plot device, Conrad’s novel follows Adolf Verloc: a spy with an allegiance to an unnamed country, and his brother-in-law Stevie as they track down a conglomerate of anarchists, terrorists, and spies, risking the loss of everything they hold dear. Based on the true events of the Greenwich Bombing of 1894, Conrad’s Stevie follows a similar trajectory to that of French anarchist, Martial Bourdin.
‘I am afraid that if you want to go down into history you'll have to do something for it.’
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Price HK$ 10,000
Funeral in Berlin -
Len Deighton
1965 - Jonathan Cape, London - First Edition
This is one of a small number of promotional copies with a near fine wraparound band featuring a photograph of 007 author Ian Fleming and Len Deighton in conversation, and a photograph of Deighton with Michael Cane from The Ipcress File movie shoot. A scarce item.
‘Funeral In Berlin’ is the basis for the classic film starring Michael Caine as 'Harry Palmer', produced by Harry Saltzman who made the Bond movies; mention of the film 'From Russia, With Love' appears on the dust-jacket flap, as does a quote from Queen magazine, claiming Deighton's hero was "James Bond's most serious rival". .
‘The links between Len Deighton and Ian Fleming are many; Deighton's brand of spy fiction and his un-named series character (called 'Harry Palmer' on-screen) is in stark contrast to secret agent James Bond, although Fleming was certainly the catalyst to the sixties spy-boom; Fleming read Deighton's early books in proof-form and both authors were published by Cape; the pair met on several occasions and shared the same book designer, Deighton's life-long friend Raymond Hawkey, who composed the majority of his jacket art and also transformed the James Bond paperback series into million-sellers; Deighton contributed to the script of From Russia, With Love at the request of Harry Saltzman, who went on to produce the Harry Palmer film series. Deighton also wrote parts of the Warhead and Never Say Never Again scripts, based on the Thunderball film treatment.’ – Jon Gilbert.
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Price HK$ 9,000
1965 - Jonathan Cape, London - First Edition
This is one of a small number of promotional copies with a near fine wraparound band featuring a photograph of 007 author Ian Fleming and Len Deighton in conversation, and a photograph of Deighton with Michael Cane from The Ipcress File movie shoot. A scarce item.‘Funeral In Berlin’ is the basis for the classic film starring Michael Caine as 'Harry Palmer', produced by Harry Saltzman who made the Bond movies; mention of the film 'From Russia, With Love' appears on the dust-jacket flap, as does a quote from Queen magazine, claiming Deighton's hero was "James Bond's most serious rival". .
‘The links between Len Deighton and Ian Fleming are many; Deighton's brand of spy fiction and his un-named series character (called 'Harry Palmer' on-screen) is in stark contrast to secret agent James Bond, although Fleming was certainly the catalyst to the sixties spy-boom; Fleming read Deighton's early books in proof-form and both authors were published by Cape; the pair met on several occasions and shared the same book designer, Deighton's life-long friend Raymond Hawkey, who composed the majority of his jacket art and also transformed the James Bond paperback series into million-sellers; Deighton contributed to the script of From Russia, With Love at the request of Harry Saltzman, who went on to produce the Harry Palmer film series. Deighton also wrote parts of the Warhead and Never Say Never Again scripts, based on the Thunderball film treatment.’ – Jon Gilbert.
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Price HK$ 9,000
Octopussy and the Living Daylights -
Ian Lancaster Fleming
1966 - Jonathan Cape, London - First Edition
M looked coldly across the desk. It was going to be dirty work and Bond, because he belonged to the Double 0 section, had been chosen for it.
“You've got to kill this sniper. And you've got to kill him before he gets Agent 272. Is that understood?”
So, it was to be murder.
A fine first edition of the fourteenth and final publication by Ian Fleming in the 007 series, containing two short adventures; the title novella plus 'The Living Daylights'. These were later successfully filmed by EON productions with Bond played by Roger Moore (Octopussy, 1983) and Timothy Dalton (The Living Daylights, 1987).
Appropriately housed in a bespoke black cloth clamshell case, lined in scarlet red felt, the spine with gilt stamped lettering and target logo.
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Price HK$ 6,500
1966 - Jonathan Cape, London - First Edition
M looked coldly across the desk. It was going to be dirty work and Bond, because he belonged to the Double 0 section, had been chosen for it.“You've got to kill this sniper. And you've got to kill him before he gets Agent 272. Is that understood?”
So, it was to be murder.
A fine first edition of the fourteenth and final publication by Ian Fleming in the 007 series, containing two short adventures; the title novella plus 'The Living Daylights'. These were later successfully filmed by EON productions with Bond played by Roger Moore (Octopussy, 1983) and Timothy Dalton (The Living Daylights, 1987).
Appropriately housed in a bespoke black cloth clamshell case, lined in scarlet red felt, the spine with gilt stamped lettering and target logo.
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Price HK$ 6,500
Diamonds are Forever -
Ian Lancaster Fleming
1956 - Jonathan Cape, London - First Edition, First Impression
‘James Bond surveyed the glittering diamonds that lay scattered across the red leather surface of M’s desk and wondered what it was all about.’
First edition of the fourth James Bond adventure; 007’s second assignment in the USA sees him reunited with CIA ally Felix Leiter, and pits him against the Spangled Mob who specialise in diamond smuggling and horse race fixing. (Somewhat loose) Basis for the 1971 blockbuster movie starring Sean Connery in his penultimate outing as 007, and Jill St.John as the unforgettable Tiffany Case.
Appropriately housed in a bespoke black cloth clamshell case, lined in scarlet red felt, the spine with gilt stamped lettering and thematic gilt stamped ace of diamonds.
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Price HK$ 50,000
1956 - Jonathan Cape, London - First Edition, First Impression
‘James Bond surveyed the glittering diamonds that lay scattered across the red leather surface of M’s desk and wondered what it was all about.’First edition of the fourth James Bond adventure; 007’s second assignment in the USA sees him reunited with CIA ally Felix Leiter, and pits him against the Spangled Mob who specialise in diamond smuggling and horse race fixing. (Somewhat loose) Basis for the 1971 blockbuster movie starring Sean Connery in his penultimate outing as 007, and Jill St.John as the unforgettable Tiffany Case.
Appropriately housed in a bespoke black cloth clamshell case, lined in scarlet red felt, the spine with gilt stamped lettering and thematic gilt stamped ace of diamonds.
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Price HK$ 50,000
On Her Majesty s Secret Service - Signed -
Ian Lancaster Fleming
1963 - Jonathan Cape, London - First Edition, Signed Limited Issue
One of 35 un-numbered private copies, signed by Ian Fleming to limitation page marked 'Presentation'.
A lovely example of the Signed Limited Edition printed on thicker mould-made paper, with a colour frontispiece of the author by Charles Amherst Villiers and bound in quarter vellum over black cloth with large white ‘ski-track’ motif, gilt titles to spine, and top edge gilt. This copy housed in felt lined morocco edged slipcase, protecting the original clear plastic wrapper.
This particular copy has the added provenance of being the one photographed for the definitive Bond bibliography by Jon Gilbert (Queen Anne Press, 2012), he has left a signed pencil note to the front pastedown dated 2011 confirming this.
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Price HK$ 150,000
1963 - Jonathan Cape, London - First Edition, Signed Limited Issue
One of 35 un-numbered private copies, signed by Ian Fleming to limitation page marked 'Presentation'.A lovely example of the Signed Limited Edition printed on thicker mould-made paper, with a colour frontispiece of the author by Charles Amherst Villiers and bound in quarter vellum over black cloth with large white ‘ski-track’ motif, gilt titles to spine, and top edge gilt. This copy housed in felt lined morocco edged slipcase, protecting the original clear plastic wrapper.
This particular copy has the added provenance of being the one photographed for the definitive Bond bibliography by Jon Gilbert (Queen Anne Press, 2012), he has left a signed pencil note to the front pastedown dated 2011 confirming this.
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Price HK$ 150,000
Moonraker -
Ian Lancaster Fleming
1955 - Jonathan Cape, London - First Edition, First impression, Second State
‘Bond is what every man would like to be and what every woman would like to have between her sheets.’ - Raymond Chandler on Moonraker.
First edition of the third James Bond title, arguably one of the best Bond novels.
This particular copy is from the library of British Army Officer Leslie Nathanson, who served in North Africa, was captured in Libya by the German army in 1942, imprisoned in Italy and later escaped to cross through Northern Italy to safety in Switzerland. After the war Nathanson founded the law firm Nabarro LLP, and in 1956 purchased the beautiful Villa La Pietra [Boselli; “house with the blue shutters”] in Levanto, on the coast of La Spezia, Italy. Nathanson’s wonderful bookplate shows the Villa in colour. Signed and dated ‘Feb, 1956’ by him in pencil.
Appropriately housed in a bespoke black cloth clamshell case, lined in scarlet red felt, the spine with gilt stamped lettering and space rocket logo.
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Price HK$ 70,000
1955 - Jonathan Cape, London - First Edition, First impression, Second State
‘Bond is what every man would like to be and what every woman would like to have between her sheets.’ - Raymond Chandler on Moonraker.First edition of the third James Bond title, arguably one of the best Bond novels.
This particular copy is from the library of British Army Officer Leslie Nathanson, who served in North Africa, was captured in Libya by the German army in 1942, imprisoned in Italy and later escaped to cross through Northern Italy to safety in Switzerland. After the war Nathanson founded the law firm Nabarro LLP, and in 1956 purchased the beautiful Villa La Pietra [Boselli; “house with the blue shutters”] in Levanto, on the coast of La Spezia, Italy. Nathanson’s wonderful bookplate shows the Villa in colour. Signed and dated ‘Feb, 1956’ by him in pencil.
Appropriately housed in a bespoke black cloth clamshell case, lined in scarlet red felt, the spine with gilt stamped lettering and space rocket logo.
More details
Price HK$ 70,000