Available Copies from Independent Booksellers
Fleming,Ian. The Diamond Smugglers. Jonathan Cape, London, 1957.
Price: US$10.18 + shipping
Condition: Poor
Description: This is a Poor Ex Library Copy in Publisher's black cloth with white title lettering to spine.No dust-jacket.Front hinge is weak pulling away for boards,with sellotape markings to endpapers and the book lacks it';s front endpaper.Reading copy only 8vo 160pp First Edition 2nd Impression Size: 8vo - over 5¾" - 6'' Tall
Seller: Richard Thornton Books PBFA, Old Langho, United Kingdom
Fleming, Ian. The Diamond Smugglers. Jonathan Cape, 1957.
Price: US$50.00 + shipping
Condition: Very Good
Description: With a introduction by John Blaize. Frontispiece. Publication of 160 pages. Starts on the half title page. Supplied with a Facsimile jacket, the jacket is a little shelf rubbed and a minor chipped piece. On page 25 there are light marks. The text is legible Tightly bound and presented in cellophane. The binding is excellent. GK. Our orders are shipped using tracked courier delivery services.
Seller: Chapter 1, Johannesburg, GAU, South Africa
Fleming,Ian. The Diamond Smugglers. Jonathan Cape, London, 1957.
Price: US$50.88 + shipping
Condition: Very Good
Description: This is a Very Good + Copy of this Book in Publisher's black cloth with white title lettering to spine.No Dust-Jacket.There are NO former ownership names present.This copy has a firm binding with no hinge weakness and there is no leaning or rolling to spine.Lovely clean copy internally with no turned corners to page etc.It's a nice tight square copy and a second impression published in November 1957 the same Month as The First Edition,8vo 160pp First Edition 2nd Impression [1957]
Seller: Richard Thornton Books PBFA, Old Langho, United Kingdom
Ian Fleming. The Diamond Smugglers. Jonathan Cape, 1957.
Price: US$57.65 + shipping
Condition: Fair
Description: 1957. First Edition. 160 pages. No dust jacket. This is an ex-Library book. Pictorial laminated paper covered boards. Black and white illustrations and photographic plates throughout. Book has been rebound by library, with expected inserts, stamps and inscriptions. Binding remains firm. Pages and illustrations have light tanning and foxing throughout. Boards have light shelf-wear with corner bumping. Light sunning to spine and edges with crushing to spine ends. Staining to front board.
Seller: World of Rare Books, Goring-by-Sea, SXW, United Kingdom
Price: US$69.90 + shipping
Condition: Good
Description: True first British printing. No jacket. Ex 'Boots Booklovers Library' copy with old Boots sticker to front board - no other marks or signs of this apart from a line in black ink to bottom edge of pages. Illustrated. Black boards with (faded) white lettering to spine are only good with a little pushing/bumping to corners, a few marks, the odd small scratch, the odd minor bump/rub to edges and a little wear (pushing/rubbing/bumping/little fraying to the cloth) to head/tail of spine. Pages are generally clean and the binding is tight. Pages are a bit tanned. Odd small mark/spot of foxing to page edges, tops and bottoms. Crease to top corner of a few pages. Occasional small marks/scattered foxing to pages. No other faults. All books described honestly and accurately. Paypal accepted.
Seller: PW Books, Andover, HANTS, United Kingdom
FLEMING, Ian. The Diamond Smugglers. Jonathan Cape, London, 1957.
Price: US$99.67 + shipping
Condition: Near Fine
Description: Hardcover : pp. (10) 11-160 : plain e.p.s : black boards with white lettering on spine : deep orange and black price clipped jacket with other three corners Cape clipped. Light mark to top cover of jacket under the word "Russia"; top edge with barely perceptible spotting.
Seller: Archives Fine Books (ANZAAB, ILAB), Brisbane, QLD, Australia
Fleming, Ian. THE DIAMOND SMUGGLERS. Jonathan Cape, London, 1957.
Price: US$115.00 + shipping
Condition: Very Good
Description: 160 pages in very good condition. Very light foxing on the endpapers and few first and last pages. With photographs and maps. Black hardcovers with white titles on the spine. Corners not bumped. Illustrated red/grey DJ with black titles. Spine faded, small chips on corners, head of spine. Jacket lightly soiled. Price clipped. VG/GOOD
Seller: J. Wyatt Books, Ottawa, ON, Canada
FLEMING, Ian (1908-1964). The Diamond Smugglers. London: Jonathan Cape, 1957, 1957.
Price: US$120.84 + shipping
Description: [True Crime] FIRST EDITION. Octavo (20 x 14cm), pp.160. Illustrated with photographs. 'Askew' style library binding with glazed boards, small shelf label to spine. A clean ex-library copy with discreet stamps to copyright page and final leaf, loans label pocket to f.e.p., spine gently sunned. Many Ian Fleming hardcover reprints were taken into the lending library system to replace existing well-worn stock. The glazed binding version is uncommon. Jon Gilbert's file copy, with his pencilled notes and ownership signature. His comprehensive guide to the works of Ian Fleming (2012) won the 16th Breslauer Prize for bibliography. Gilbert A15a (2).
Seller: Adrian Harrington Ltd, PBFA, ABA, ILAB, Royal Tunbridge Wells, KENT, United Kingdom
Fleming, Ian. The Diamond Smugglers. Jonathan Cape 1957, 1957.
Price: US$125.00 + shipping
Description: An exciting novel by a famous author. With d/j Illustrated by: .
Seller: Armchair Motorist, ACTON, ON, Canada
Fleming, Ian. THE DIAMOND SMUGGLERS. Jonathan Cape, 1957.
Price: US$145.00 + shipping
Description: THE DIAMOND SMUGGLERS, Cape, 1957, first edition, vg in like dust-wrapper. Illustrated with photographs.
Seller: THE FINE BOOKS COMPANY / A.B.A.A / 1979, ROCHESTER, MI, U.S.A.
Price: US$174.99 + shipping
Condition: Near Fine
Description: IAN FLEMING - THE DIAMOND SMUGGLERS, published by Jonathan Cape, copyright 1957, First Printing ("First Published 1957" at top of copyright page with no references to subsequent printings), white endpapers, +Dust Jacket rear flap has reviews for "From Russia, With Love", black boards and white lettering to spine, 12s. 6d. net price on DJ front flap Book has no creased page corners, no foxing to pages, barest hint of foxing to endpapers, age darkening/dust soiling to outer page edges (no foxing), no former owner's markings or used book store stamps/stickers inside, endpapers are clean and free from scotch tape residue marks or other discoloration or erasures, no hinge splitting, no spine lean, no wear to board edges, board corners, or to spine tips, no bumped board corners, no soiling or staining to boards. Dust Jacket has no chipping or tearing or creasing, slight wear to spine tips with largish 'v' losses to spine tip corners, almost no wear to front flap crease (just nick losses at flap crease corners), hint of edge wear, hint of dust soiling to rear panel, slight spine sun fading but still retaining some orange color (very very common defect with this DJ - often fading to a complete white color), no foxing to panels, no soiling or staining to panels. Overall a FINE-/N-FINE book in VG/VG+ condition dust jacket (not price clipped) of an Ian Fleming U.K. printing hardcover book. I have a number of other U.S. and U.K. Ian Fleming James Bond 1st printing hardcover appearances up for sale.
Seller: Far North Collectible Books, Anchorage, AK, U.S.A.
Fleming, Ian. Diamond Smugglers. Jonathan Cape, London, 1957.
Price: US$175.00 + shipping
Description: 12mo. 160 pp. Frontispiece illustration. Photographic illustrations. Hardcover binding in unclipped dustwrapper, owner inscription, overall very good condition. (10272). With an Introduction by 'John Blaize' formerly of the International Diamond Security Organization.
Seller: Bauer Rare Books, San Diego, CA, U.S.A.
FLEMING, Ian (1908-1964). The Diamond Smugglers. London: Jonathan Cape, 1957, 1957.
Price: US$184.44 + shipping
Description: [True Crime] FIRST EDITION, second impression. Octavo (20 x 14cm), pp.160. Illustrated with photographs. Publisher's black cloth with white titles to the spine in original dust-jacket illustrated by Denis Piper, priced at 12/6. No inscriptions, spotting or toning. A clean, fine copy of the book in a near fine jacket with light wear at crown, a few small tape strips to reverse, spine panel gently toned. An attractive copy. One of just 2470 copies; much scarcer than the near-10,000 copy first print run. One for the Fleming completist! Jon Gilbert's file copy, with his pencilled notes and ownership signature. His comprehensive guide to the works of Ian Fleming (2012) won the 16th Breslauer Prize for bibliography. Gilbert A15a (2).
Seller: Adrian Harrington Ltd, PBFA, ABA, ILAB, Royal Tunbridge Wells, KENT, United Kingdom
Fleming, Ian.. The Diamond Smugglers.. Jonathan Cape Ltd, London, 1957.
Price: US$200.00 + shipping
Condition: Very Good
Description: Second Impression in same year and month as First. A Very Good copy in black textured paper covered boards, stamped in white at spine, in a Very Good grey and deep orange dustwrapper, not price-clipped, faded along spine and flapfolds, very minor edgewear to points and some toning to extremities of flaps. 160pp. with an Introduction by 'John Blaize' formerly of the International Diamond Security Organization. Cartoon frontispiece, with black and white photographic illustrations throughout. Text and endpapers clean and unmarked. Q17266
Seller: Compass Rose Books, ABAA-ILAB, Kensington, CA, U.S.A.
FLEMING, Ian (1908-1964). The Diamond Smugglers. London: Jonathan Cape, 1957, 1957.
Price: US$222.60 + shipping
Description: [True Crime] FIRST EDITION, bibliographer's copy. Octavo (20 x 14cm), pp.160. Illustrated with photographs. Elegantly hand-bound in half navy calf over marbled paper-covered cloth sides, spine gilt-lettered in six compartments with raised bands. Some dampmarking to plates else fine, in an attractive recent leather binding. Jon Gilbert's copy, with his pencilled ownership signature, seller ticket 'Hall's Bookshop' (Adrian Harrington) to the pastedown. His comprehensive guide to the works of Ian Fleming (2012) won the 16th Breslauer Prize for bibliography. Ian Fleming's first non-Bond book, and also his first non-fiction work. Written with the assistance of Diamond expert John Collard, who is noted in the book as 'John Blaize'. Gilbert A15a (1).
Seller: Adrian Harrington Ltd, PBFA, ABA, ILAB, Royal Tunbridge Wells, KENT, United Kingdom
FLEMING, Ian (1908-1964). The Diamond Smugglers. London: Jonathan Cape, 1957, 1957.
Price: US$222.60 + shipping
Description: [True Crime] FIRST EDITION, FIRST STATE, bibliographer's copy. Octavo (20 x 14cm), pp.160. Illustrated with photographs. Publisher's black cloth with white titles to the spine. A working copy with associated handling and use, some copy editing, offset browning to half title, lacks f.e.p, provided with a later plain brown paper jacket with printed labels, made for ready-reference purposes. Jon Gilbert's file copy, with his pencilled notes, bookplate and ownership signature. His comprehensive guide to the works of Ian Fleming (2012) won the 16th Breslauer Prize for bibliography. The first state binding is in Fabroleen cloth lettered in white, later bound in Linson lettered in bronze. Gilbert A15a (1).
Seller: Adrian Harrington Ltd, PBFA, ABA, ILAB, Royal Tunbridge Wells, KENT, United Kingdom
FLEMING, Ian (1908-1964). The Diamond Smugglers. London: Jonathan Cape, 1957, 1957.
Price: US$248.04 + shipping
Description: [True Crime] FIRST EDITION. Octavo (20 x 14cm), pp.160. Illustrated with photographs. Elegantly hand-bound in half black calf over matching cloth sides, spine gilt-lettered in six compartments with raised bands. A near fine copy in an attractive recent leather binding. Ian Fleming's first non-Bond book, and also his first non-fiction work. Written with the assistance of Diamond expert John Collard, who is noted in the book as 'John Blaize'. Gilbert A15a.
Seller: Adrian Harrington Ltd, PBFA, ABA, ILAB, Royal Tunbridge Wells, KENT, United Kingdom
Fleming, Ian. The Diamond Smugglers. Jonathan Cape, London, 1957.
Price: US$255.81 + shipping
Condition: Very Good
Description: introduction by "John Blaize"  formerly of the International Diamond Security Organisation, list of illustrations, and list of maps. Black and white cartoon frontispiece  by Bob Connolly titled "Sir Percy Sillitoe is in South Africa on holiday." The text is illustrated with black-and-white photography and maps throughout. Black coloured cloth covered boards with white titles to the backstrip. Photographic/illustrated dustwrapper with black colour titles to the front panel and backstrip. "Amajor campaign against the greatest smuggling racket in the world  the smuggling of diamonds from Africa, to the tune of some £10 million a year  has just been completed. it took three years. Paris was involved and Antwerp, Beirut, Freetown, Johannesburg  and Moscow. How this underground battle was waged is the greatest buys storage since the war."  From the rear panel blurb. Bumping to the backstrip and browning to the textblock edges and age toning of the internal text. Foxing to the top textblock edge. Chipping to the top dustwrapper corners and there is a 0.5 " tear to the top right-hand corner of the rear dustwrapper panel. A small, closed tear to the top edge of the front panel and rubbing and handling marks are visible to both front and rear panel. Sun fading to the backstrip. All four corners of the dustwrapper have been clipped, as part of the book's production. Size: 8vo - over 7¾" - 9¾" tall. (10), 11-160 pages, Please refer to accompanying picture (s). Illustrator: Photographic and Maps. Quantity Available: 1. Shipped Weight: Under 1 kilo. Category: Law & Criminal Studies; Diamond Smuggling; Africa; history. Inventory No: 0112389.
Seller: Syber's Books, Melbourne, VIC, Australia
Fleming, Ian. The Diamond Smugglers. Jonathan Cape, London, 1957.
Price: US$300.00 + shipping
Condition: Very Good
Description: First edition, first printing of this stand-alone true crime novel. Light edge wear. Slight sun fading to the spine of the dustjacket. Not price clipped. In very good / very good condition. BRColl
Seller: Scene of the Crime, ABAC, IOBA, St. Catharines, ON, Canada
FLEMING, Ian. THE DIAMOND SMUGGLERS. London : Jonathan Cape, 1957.
Price: US$318.01 + shipping
Description: First Edition, First Issue. Illustrated with black and white photographs. Publisher's black cloth with white titles to the spine in original dust jacket illustrated by Denis Piper. Very good plus condition in very good dust jacket. This is Fleming's first non-Bond book and also his first non-fiction work. The book was written with the assistance of John Collard, a diamond expert. Scarce in this condition.
Seller: Surrey Hills Books, Cranleigh, United Kingdom
IAN FLEMING. THE DIAMOND SMUGGLERS. JONATHAN CAPE, LONDON, 1957.
Price: US$349.81 + shipping
Condition: Very Good
Description: First edition first printing of Ian Fleming's account of the spy story connected to the diamond smuggling trade. The wrapper is generally bright, with some nicks and rubbing a small open tear to base of front panel, with some sunning to spine that has lightened the orange-red of the design. Not price clipped. The boards are sharp and clean and not bumped. Internally, neat ownership inscription to front endpaper dated 1957, thereafter clean throughout. An unusual title in overall VERY GOOD condition. Scarce.
Seller: Tobo Books, Portsmouth, United Kingdom
FLEMING, Ian (1908-1964). The Diamond Smugglers. London: Jonathan Cape, 1957, 1957.
Price: US$375.25 + shipping
Description: [True Crime] FIRST EDITION, FIRST ISSUE. Octavo (20 x 14cm), pp.160. Illustrated with photographs. Publisher's black cloth with white titles to the spine in original dust-jacket illustrated by Denis Piper, priced at 12/6. Contents clean, edges slightly toned, jacket gently sunned to spine, one small nick to rear. Near fine. Ian Fleming's first non-Bond book, and also his first non-fiction work. Written with the assistance of diamond expert John Collard, who is noted in the book as 'John Blaize'. Gilbert, Jon: Ian Fleming The Bibliography, A15a (1.1).
Seller: Adrian Harrington Ltd, PBFA, ABA, ILAB, Royal Tunbridge Wells, KENT, United Kingdom
FLEMING, Ian (1908-1964). The Diamond Smugglers. London: Jonathan Cape, 1957, 1957.
Price: US$572.41 + shipping
Description: [True Crime] FIRST EDITION. Octavo (20 x 14cm), pp.160. Illustrated with photographs. Publisher's black cloth with titles to the spine in bronze, original dust-jacket illustrated by Denis Piper, priced at 12/6. A near fine copy with usual tarnish to cheap foil used for lettering, jacket near fine with minor sun-fade. An attractive copy of a scarce issue, being bound in the rarer of the two bindings (the other using a higher quality cloth with white lettering). Gilbert A15a (1.2).
Seller: Adrian Harrington Ltd, PBFA, ABA, ILAB, Royal Tunbridge Wells, KENT, United Kingdom
Fleming, Ian. The Diamond Smugglers.. Jonathan Cape, London, 1957.
Price: US$700.00 + shipping
Description: First edition of the thrilling true story behind one of the greatest spy operations in history. Octavo, bound in three quarters morocco, gilt titles to the spine, raised bands, illustrated. In fine condition. Introduction by John Blaze. In 1957, as the Cold War raged, Ian Fleming took a break from writing James Bond to craft a work of nonfiction every bit as tense as a Bond adventure. Aided by an ex-MI5 agent and International Diamond Security Organization operative going by the alias âJohn Blaize,â Fleming chronicled the IDSOâs infiltration of the âmillion-carat networkââ"the worldâs most notorious diamond smuggling ring. Every year, a shadowy band of racketeers pirated a fortune in diamonds out of Africa, and the majority of the stolen gems wound up in the hands of Communist nations. In response, the IDSO commissioned a private army, led by legendary British spymaster Sir Percy Sillitoe, to penetrate and topple the ring. And when the operation was complete, the Sunday Times gave the story to Fleming, who had impressed Sillitoe with his 1956 Bond adventure Diamonds Are Forever.
Seller: Raptis Rare Books, Palm Beach, FL, U.S.A.
Fleming, Ian. The Diamond Smugglers. Jonathan Cape, London, 1957.
Price: US$700.00 + shipping
Condition: Fine
Description: Clipped DJ in archival cover. Stated first edition. first printing.
Seller: J. Mercurio Books, Maps, & Prints IOBA, Garrison, NY, U.S.A.
FLEMING, Ian. The Diamond Smugglers. Jonathan Cape, 1957.
Price: US$750.00 + shipping
Condition: Very Good
Description: FLEMING, Ian [160] pp. Jonathan Cape 1957 8" x 5 1/2" Dust wrapper artwork by Denis Piper
Seller: The Cary Collection, Bristol, CT, U.S.A.
Price: US$1599.99 + shipping
Condition: Near Fine
Description: IAN FLEMING - CASINO ROYALE, published by Jonathan Cape, copyright 1953, First Edition Fourth Printing ("First Published 1953" and "Reissued 1957" at top of copyright page), white endpapers, no list in front of book, DJ rear flap & rear cover has reviews to Diamond Smugglers - confirming its the correct 1957 state DJ, black boards with impressed red heart on front panel and red lettering on spine, 13s 6d net price on DJ front flap. THIS IS THE FIRST PRINTING TO HAVE THE REVISE "PLAYING CARD" ARTWORK. Book is unread with no creased page corners, no foxing to pages or endpapers or outer page edges, slight age darkening/dust soiling to outer page edges, no former owner's markings or used book store stamps/stickers inside, no scotch tape residue marks or discoloration to endpapers, no internal hinge splitting, no wear to board edges, corners or spine tips, no spine lean, no bumped board corners, no soiling or markings to boards, nice lettering on spine and front board with no oxidation and no wear (common defect with this book). Dust Jacket has nick loss at top on rear flap crease and irregular sliver loss at spine tips (no lettering affected), closed nick tear with related creases at top on rear panel otherwise no chipping, tearing or creasing, slight wear to spine tips with 'v' losses to spine tip corners, hint of wear to front flap crease (nick losses at flap crease corners), hint of edge wear, hint of spine sun darkening, almost no color wear to left/right on spine, slight age yellowing to white areas of rear DJ only (common defect because of light colors and the glossy coating applied by the publisher that yellows with age), no color rubbing to front panel/spine, almost no dust soiling to panels, almost no soiling or staining, no age marks or spotting to DJ front panel/spine/rear panel, no scotch tape residue marks to edges of flaps. Overall a N-FINE book in VG/VG+ condition dust jacket (not price clipped) of an Ian Fleming U.K. 1957 printing hardcover of the first James Bond book. I have a number of other U.S. and U.K. Ian Fleming James Bond 1st printing hardcover appearances up for sale.
Seller: Far North Collectible Books, Anchorage, AK, U.S.A.
Price: US$2500.00 + shipping
Condition: Fine
Description: Fleming, Ian. The Diamond Smugglers. London: Jonathan Cape, 1957. Octavo. First edition, first impression. In the original dust jacket and original black cloth-textured boards. Presented with a new, archival clamshell case. Presented is the first edition, first impression of The Diamond Smugglers by Ian Fleming. The Diamond Smugglers is a nonfiction book, published by Jonathan Cape, in London in 1957. The book is presented here in its original dust jacket and original black cloth-textured boards, with white embossed titles to the spine. The Diamond Smugglers is one of two non-fiction books written by Ian Fleming. The book is the result of two weeks of interviews Fleming undertook with John Collard, a member of the International Diamond Security Organization (IDSO). The IDSO was formed by Sir Percy Sillitoe, the ex-chief of MI5 who worked for the diamond company De Beers. The goal of IDSO was to combat diamond smuggling in Africa, by infiltrating and toppling the ring from the inside. The Diamond Smugglers expands upon articles Fleming first wrote for The Sunday Times in 1957. As well as providing a history of the IDSO's operations, Fleming relates a number of illustrative vignettes concerning the diamond smuggling cases Collard and the organization dealt with. Ian Fleming (1908 1964) was an intelligence officer, journalist, and creator of the fictional British Secret Service agent James Bond. Beginning in 1939, he served as a liaison between the Navy and the other secret services, where he was privy to the highest levels of intelligence and became known for his creativity in planning operations, work that inspired his later novels. After the war, Fleming became a journalist and in 1953 published his first James Bond novel, Casino Royale. It was a success, and Fleming wrote a new book each year until his untimely death in 1964. CONDITION: Good condition overall. First edition, first impression, first state. Octavo. Original black cloth-textured boards, with white embossed titles to the spine. Original dust jacket, in good condition with the spine panel only slightly faded. Interior pages are healthy and clean. Book Dimensions: 8" H x 5 1/2" W x 1" D. Book is presented with a new, custom archival clamshell case. The clamshell is 1/4 black leather and red cloth, with raised bands, gilt tooling, and gilt titles to the spine, an inlaid photograph of Ian Fleming on the front.
Seller: The Great Republic, Colorado Springs, CO, U.S.A.
FLEMING, Ian. Diamond Smugglers. Jonathan Cape, London, 1957.
Price: US$27500.00 + shipping
Description: London: Jonathan Cape, [1957]. First edition. Inscribed by Ian Fleming on the front endpaper to Sir William Stephenson, who was known as the "Real James Bond." Small octavo (7 7/8 x 5 1/4 inches; 200 x 135 mm). [10], 11-160 pp. In original dust jacket. Publisher's full black cloth. Spine lettered in white. Book is about fine. In a near-fine price-clipped dust jacket. Jacket spine very lightly sunned. One small tape repair on to inside of front panel. With a second jacket, price not clipped. Housed in a custom black morocco clamshell. Inscription reads: "To Bill/ This further volume for/ your free library!/ Ian/ 1957" A wonderful book with an exceptional provenance. Inscribed by Fleming to his good friend Sir William Stephenson, aka "Bill." We acquired this copy from the grandson of famous auto maker. E.L. Cord. Cord, Fleming and Stephenson were all close friends and Cord and Stephenson owned an airplane factory together producing spitfires. Cord acquired Bill's collection of Fleming books and his grandson eventually took ownership. Butterfields and Butterfields sold three other Fleming books inscribed to "Bill" acquired from the same source at their 4/16/1997 sale. Our inscription recipient Sir William "Bill" Stephenson is of utmost interest as he is considered the basis of the character of James Bond. Sir William "Bill" Stephenson, was a "Canadian soldier, airman, businessman, inventor, spymaster, and the senior representative of British Security Coordination (BSC) for the entire western hemisphere during World War II. He is best known by his wartime intelligence codename Intrepid. Many people consider him to be one of the real-life inspirations for James Bond. Ian Fleming himself who once worked under Stephenson, once wrote, 'James Bond is a highly romanticized version of a true spy. The real thing is . William Stephenson.'. As head of the British Security Coordination, Stephenson handed over British scientific secrets to Franklin D. Roosevelt and relayed American secrets to Winston Churchill. In addition, Stephenson has been credited with changing American public opinion from an isolationist stance to a supportive tendency regarding America's entry into World War II. Stephenson was soon a close adviser to Roosevelt, and suggested that he put Stephenson's good friend William J. "Wild Bill" Donovan in charge of all U.S. intelligence services. Donovan founded the U.S. Office of Strategic Services (OSS), which in 1947 would become the Central Intelligence Agency (CIA). As senior representative of British intelligence in the western hemisphere, Stephenson was one of the few persons in the hemisphere who were authorized to view raw Ultra transcripts of German Enigma ciphers that had been decrypted at Britain's Bletchley Park facility. He was trusted by Churchill to decide what Ultra information to pass along to various branches of the U.S. and Canadian governments. Not least of Stephenson's contributions to the war effort was the setting up by BSC of Camp X, the unofficial name of the secret Special Training School No. 103, a Second World War paramilitary installation for training covert agents in the methods required for success in clandestine operations. Camp X graduates operated in Europe (Spain, Portugal, Italy and the Balkans) as well as in Africa, Australia, India and the Pacific. They may have included Ian Fleming (though there is evidence to the contrary), future author of the James Bond books. It has been said that the fictional Goldfinger's raid on Fort Knox was inspired by a Stephenson plan (never carried out) to steal $2,883,000,000 in Vichy French gold reserves from the French Caribbean colony of Martinique. For his extraordinary service to the war effort, he was made a Knight Bachelor by King George VI in the 1945 New Year Honours. In recommending Stephenson for the knighthood, Winston Churchill wrote: 'This one is dear to my heart.' In November 1946 Stephenson received the Medal for Merit from President Harry S. Truman, at that time the highest U.S. civilian award. He was the first non-American to be so honoured." (Wikipedia) "Camp X was the unofficial name of the secret Special Training School No. 103, a Second World War British paramilitary installation for training covert agents in the methods required for success in clandestine operations.[1] It was located on the northwestern shore of Lake Ontario between Whitby and Oshawa in Ontario, Canada. The area is known today as Intrepid Park, after the code name for Sir William Stephenson, Director of British Security Co-ordination (BSC), who established the program to create the training facility." (Wikipedia) Accompanying the book is a letter from the individual we acquired the book from, the grandson E.L. Cord stating who he is and that he is selling the book. Included also is a family tree showing the seller as E.L. Cord's grandson. HBS 68524. $27,500.
Seller: Heritage Book Shop, ABAA, Beverly Hills, CA, U.S.A.