Thrilling Cities - Signed -
Ian Lancaster Fleming
1963 - Jonathan Cape, London - First Edition
A fine first edition of this wonderful account of fourteen cities, starting with Hong Kong, Fleming’s favourite city, where he stayed with his friend Hugh Barton, Chairman of Jardine Matheson.
Signed by Ian Fleming to the title page, together with a sheet of Sevenhampton Place headed notepaper tucked in (the Fleming home in Wiltshire).
One of Fleming's personal copies kept at home and gifted by Anne Flemming to her secretary Mona Tait.
Descriptions of the more exciting side to each city, with an emphasis on good food, company of character and beautiful Ladies. It is a shame that these descriptions cannot be used by the Tourism board of Hong Kong today.
Housed in a bespoke black morocco leather and gilt titled clamshell case. Thrilling Cities was serialised in The Sunday Times (1959-60). Fleming would always seek out the "authentic pulse" of a city, by venturing down back alleys and away from the beaten track, It is this instinct that he believes lead him towards producing thriller novels.
Provenance: Ian and Anne Fleming, gifted by Anne to Mona Tait, and then passed down to Mona’s daughter Vicky.
Reference: Gilbert, Ian Fleming - The Bibliography, A16a(1.1). First edition, first impression, first state with dust jacket laminate covering entire width of rear panel (in second state, the laminate does not cover the entire width of the rear flap).
Large octavo (book size 16.7x23cm), pp. 223 [1]. In the publisher's quarter white buckram cloth over patterned grey paper boards, spine lettered in gilt, black coated endpapers, top edge with black tint. Dust jacket priced ‘30s. net’ to lower corner of front flap, and with publisher’s decorative trim to all corners. Condition: Fine in fine dust jacket but for some light wear to corners, and just a hint of the usual fading to the pink spine. Ref: 112560 Price: HK$ 95,000
Signed by Ian Fleming to the title page, together with a sheet of Sevenhampton Place headed notepaper tucked in (the Fleming home in Wiltshire).
One of Fleming's personal copies kept at home and gifted by Anne Flemming to her secretary Mona Tait.
Descriptions of the more exciting side to each city, with an emphasis on good food, company of character and beautiful Ladies. It is a shame that these descriptions cannot be used by the Tourism board of Hong Kong today.
Housed in a bespoke black morocco leather and gilt titled clamshell case. Thrilling Cities was serialised in The Sunday Times (1959-60). Fleming would always seek out the "authentic pulse" of a city, by venturing down back alleys and away from the beaten track, It is this instinct that he believes lead him towards producing thriller novels.
Provenance: Ian and Anne Fleming, gifted by Anne to Mona Tait, and then passed down to Mona’s daughter Vicky.
Reference: Gilbert, Ian Fleming - The Bibliography, A16a(1.1). First edition, first impression, first state with dust jacket laminate covering entire width of rear panel (in second state, the laminate does not cover the entire width of the rear flap).
Large octavo (book size 16.7x23cm), pp. 223 [1]. In the publisher's quarter white buckram cloth over patterned grey paper boards, spine lettered in gilt, black coated endpapers, top edge with black tint. Dust jacket priced ‘30s. net’ to lower corner of front flap, and with publisher’s decorative trim to all corners. Condition: Fine in fine dust jacket but for some light wear to corners, and just a hint of the usual fading to the pink spine. Ref: 112560 Price: HK$ 95,000