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Lot #488
Ian Fleming

Written to a 'Mercury' spy under his Kemsley cover

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Estimate: $1000+
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Description

Written to a 'Mercury' spy under his Kemsley cover

TLS signed “Yours ever, Ian Fleming,” one page, 8 x 10, Kemsley House letterhead, September 22, 1954. Letter to journalist and spy Antony Terry of the British Press Centre, in part: "Do you think you could follow this up? It looks as if it might make an interesting leader-page for the 'Sunday Times' if you extracted the spicy bits and did it in the form of a well-documented review, or alternatively if it's just cheap and sensational it might do for the Sunday Chronicle or Sunday Graphic…Please press on with the 'Sunday Times.' Now is the chance for a really good correspondent in Germany to take over the foreign news columns from Paris and Washington and, incidentally, to play a really vital part in educating the public. If you find you are getting too bogged down with secondary requests, please let me know and I will get you some help. It is far more important that you should develop as a 'thunderer' in the 'Sunday Times.'" Fleming adds the salutation in his own hand. In very good to fine condition, with light creasing, file and staple holes, and several intersecting folds.

While working as foreign manager of the Kemsley newspaper group's Sunday Times, Fleming hired Terry to be posted in Germany. Utilizing this legitimate news organization as a cover, Fleming also ran an intelligence outfit known as Mercury which used foreign correspondents to gather information in sensitive foreign zones—Terry was one such correspondent.

Auction Info

  • Auction Title: Fine Autographs and Artifacts
  • Dates: #545 - Ended February 06, 2019





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