Ian Fleming | For Your Eyes Only, 1960, first edition, first impression, signed by the author

Ian Fleming

For Your Eyes Only. London: Jonathan Cape, 1960

8vo, FIRST EDITION, FIRST IMPRESSION, INSCRIBED BY THE AUTHOR: ("For | Andrew | To hack over! | from | Ian") on front free endpaper, binding A, lettered in silver, original dust-jacket by Richard Chopping, housed in bespoke cloth clamshell case with embossed dust-jacket design and red sides, plastic wallet containing related ephemera loosely inserted in case (list of ephemera available upon request), small stain to front free endpaper, inside of dust-jacket with some spotting and browning

The dedicatee of this enigmatic inscription could well be Andrew Cavendish, 11^th Duke of Devonshire. Fleming and Cavendish were both Old Etonians, and the Duke and Duchess (a.k.a. "Andrew" and "Debo") were friends of Ann Fleming, so the present volume may have been inscribed at Ann's request. In the context of an inscription to Cavendish, a passionate equestrian and racehorse owner of some repute, the curious phrase "To hack [i.e. ride at a steady pace] over!" makes sense.

LITERATURE:

Gilbert A8a (1.1)