PUBLISHER'S ADVANCE BINDING
Moonraker
Cape, 1955.
First edition. Publisher's variant binding. Original bright blue cloth with the same silver block on the upper cover and spine, but 'JONATHAN / CAPE' at the base of the spine rather than the Cape colophon. Top edge yellow. A very good copy indeed, slightly cocked with just a trace of wear to the spine ends.
Extremely rare. We know of the existence of eight copies in this binding. Bibliographic opinions vary on the purpose of this variant binding. It has been suggested, plausibly, that it is a post proof 'mock up' to test the binder's block. Other opinions include it being one of the 300 copies sold to the library suppliers, G. Blunt & Sons, and that the binding is their in preparation for public library distribution. However, this theory poses more questions than it answers. Why is such an elaborate blocking used on a library binding? If 300 such copies were produced, why are they so seldom seen? Why relatively few of the know copies show any sign of library markings?
Where opinions agree is in that it is an advance binding, for or on behalf of the publishers, not commercially available and now of the utmost rarity.
Stock ID: 40150
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