Possible rare copy of Moonraker

Cate82 · November 2018

Hi there,

I've been given a copy of Moonraker from 1955, published by Jonathan Cape, and I can't find anything like it online. All the copies I've seen are black cloth with silver titles, but mine has tweed-effect cloth, with the titles in beige and black to the spine. Has anyone got any idea what this is and whether it's rare/valuable? It's not a Book Club or later edition.

Many thanks to anyone who can help!

Cate

PS apologies if this should go in the memorabilia forum - as it's book-related, I thought this might be the best place for it!

Silhouette Man · November 2018

This sounds interesting.

Would you be able to provide any photographs of your Moonraker copy?

Cate82 · November 2018

Many thanks for responding ...... 4 pics attached.

Any help in identifying this copy would be really appreciated.

ggl007 · November 2018

Very interesting. You can check here: http://www.pizgloria.com/books.php?author=IAN%20FLEMING&title=MOONRAKER or here: http://www.collecting-fleming.com/photos/C571 and you'll find that it is not there...

superado · November 2018

Could it be that the book was rebound? I also have an ex-library copy of a Jonathan Cape MR (the usual course for us who collect the Cape Bonds!) and at one time it seems it was rebound, complete with the graphics of the original flames design dustcover. Also, though I'm not sure if it's an absolute indicator, but shouldn't the Jonathan Cape logo appear on the spine if it's an original binding?

Golrush007 · November 2018

I'm incline to agree with Superado. It looks like a likely rebinding job to me, especially with the lack of a Cape logo on the spine. It looks like the sort of generic cover that a library might use if rebinding a book.

Silhouette Man · November 2018

Yes, the second picture posted above proves that it's ex-library (it's even stamped 'MIDDLESEX COUNTY LIBRARIES') and that it's been rebound to protect the cover for a mass reading audience, such as a public library would have.

Sadly these sorts of ex-library copies with stamps and markings don't have the same value as an ordinary clean first edition in mint or good condition would have. It could still be worth a fair bit, mind.

superado · November 2018

Around 15 years ago, I borrowed from my library system (a consortium of local libraries within my county) a Jonathan Cape copy of LALD, complete with its original dust jacket preserved under a plastic cover. I asked the original library it was from if I could replace or reimburse them for a new hardback edition to which they said they needed to consult with their head librarian; the answr was “no” since it wasn’t the library’s prerogative to decide because the book belonged to the public. I was so tempted to report it as lost and just reimburse it that way but my conscience got the best of me. Interestingly the book is no longer in circulation and I wonder if it underwent the typical journey of going ex-library or if another Bond collector with a more compromising conscience got to it themself.

Cate82 · November 2018

Many thanks for your thoughts on this - I think it sounds likely that it's been re-bound. I wasn't aware that libraries did this with fiction as well as reference works, so it hadn't occurred to me! Was this a common practice?

superado · November 2018

I haven’t noticed smaller books in my library getting this treatment, but larger reference books are sometimes rebound, most noticable with volume sets having the ones with the odd covers interspersed within its set.

Cate82 · November 2018

superado wrote:

I haven’t noticed smaller books in my library getting this treatment, but larger reference books are sometimes rebound, most noticable with volume sets having the ones with the odd covers interspersed within its set.

Yes, it's usually reference books that I see rebound rather than individual novels.

Thanks again - you've been really helpful

Possible rare copy of Moonraker

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