Ian Fleming | On Her Majesty's Secret Service, 1963, inscribed by "Sable Basilisk" [with] Doctor No, 1958, signed by Ursula Andress, first editions

Ian Fleming.

Two first edition Bond novels, comprising:

(i) On Her Majesty's Secret Service. London: Jonathan Cape, 1963. FIRST EDITION, FIRST IMPRESSION, INSCRIBED BY ROBIN DE LA LANNE-MIRRLEES ("To Winthrop | from | Sable Basilisk | in person | 1963"), 8vo, dark brown cloth (Gilbert's binding A), dust-jacket, area of slight browning to lower panel of dust-jacket

INSCRIBED BY THE DEDICATEE, THE HERALDRY EXPERT WHO DIRECTLY INSPIRED THE CHARACTER SABLE BASILISK. Mirrlees, the Rouge Dragon of London's Corporation of Kings, was consulted extensively by Fleming on background information pertaining to heraldry prior to the composition of On Her Majesty's Secret Service. Mirrlees "provided the relevant Bond ancestry including the real family motto 'The World Is Not Enough', and produced a family crest for the character. In acknowledgement the book is dedicated to 'Sable Basilisk Pursuivant'—Fleming's guarded reference to the Rouge Dragon which would allow him to keep his anonymity" (Gilbert, p. 351).

(ii) Dr. No. London: Jonathan Cape, 1958. FIRST EDITION, FIRST IMPRESSION, SIGNED BY URSULA ANDRESS ("Ursula | Andress | Honey Rider [sic] | ❤"), 8vo, black cloth with dark reddish-brown silhouette stamped to upper cover (Gilbert's type A, second state), dust-jacket, dust-jacket with one or two stray spots and slightly browned at extremities

SIGNED BY THE LEGENDARY ACTRESS AND MODEL who played the Bond girl Honey Ryder in the 1962 film adaptation of Dr. No (Bond's first film outing and Andress' breakthrough role).

LITERATURE:

(i) Gilbert A11a; (ii) Gilbert A6a