TLS signed “Ian Fleming,” one page, 4 x 5, Kemsley Newspapers: Foreign Department letterhead, December 22, 1954. Letter to Mr. J. Ashwin, in full: “This is just to congratulate you and the Feature Section on the splendid year you have had. The quantity and quality of your output is most impressive and I know that the Editors and Mr. Hamilton are very well satisfied. Thank you all very much and a Very Happy Christmas to you, Mrs. Trueblood and Miss Hulbert.” Stapled to a slightly larger sheet and in very good to fine condition, with some minor paper loss to the trimmed edges.
After the war Ian Fleming became Foreign Manager at Kemsley News, publishing their flagship Sunday Times, which included much of Fleming's journalism. His secretary was Una Trueblood, whose name was appropriated by Fleming in Dr. No, for the agent Mary Trueblood, No. 2 at Station (C), the Caribbean Branch of the British Secret Service. Trueblood is a former Chief Officer W.R.N.S., described as having ‘dashing good looks’ and ‘elegant knees’ [chapters 1-2]. Her disappearance is the catalyst for the Crab Key investigation, leading Bond to Honey Rider and Julius No. Miss Trueblood copied for the author the manuscript of the first James Bond TV treatment, which was developed into the novel Dr. No.
Provenance: Sotheby's, The Jon Gilbert Collection.
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