tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5448581132479481740.post1089711026415396308..comments2024-03-14T05:11:55.141-04:00Comments on Existential Ennui: Secret Ministry by Desmond Cory (Frederick Muller, 1951): Dust Jacket Proof, Val Biro Signed WrapperNick Jones (Louis XIV, the Sun King)http://www.blogger.com/profile/17716508525331235684noreply@blogger.comBlogger11125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5448581132479481740.post-4985488654099122352020-09-24T04:48:13.513-04:002020-09-24T04:48:13.513-04:00Yep, same as the Muller edition.
No, sadly not a...Yep, same as the Muller edition. <br /><br />No, sadly not as valuable as Casino Royale – but a good deal rarer I'd say!Nick Jones (Louis XIV, the Sun King)https://www.blogger.com/profile/17716508525331235684noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5448581132479481740.post-28529053424241081642020-09-24T04:20:17.513-04:002020-09-24T04:20:17.513-04:00Thanks, Nick. Pity it;s not as valuable as a first...Thanks, Nick. Pity it;s not as valuable as a first edition Casino Royale!<br /><br />Also on the copyright page it states "Printed and made in Great Britain by Fletcher and Son Ltd, Norwich and The Leighton-Straker Bookbinding Co. Ltd London".bassmanpetehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02572602338984263856noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5448581132479481740.post-16628841977276502952020-09-23T12:10:51.765-04:002020-09-23T12:10:51.765-04:00I believe Shakespeare's Head was the Australia...I believe Shakespeare's Head was the Australian publishing arm of Muller – the name crops up in one or two others of my Desmond Cory posts (search for Intrigue and Pilgrim at the Gate and you should find them). Far as I know Shakespeare Head editions were printed in the UK with the British editions, so what you have is, like mine, a first edition, and a very rare thing indeed!Nick Jones (Louis XIV, the Sun King)https://www.blogger.com/profile/17716508525331235684noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5448581132479481740.post-67742892591784129942020-09-23T07:30:15.701-04:002020-09-23T07:30:15.701-04:00I have a copy of this book with that dust jacket. ...I have a copy of this book with that dust jacket. Copyright page states First Published 1951 but it's by Shakespeare Head not Frederick Muller. The front flap doesn't have the logo or price and the rear flap is blank apart from a code at the bottom: APT/V27.bassmanpetehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02572602338984263856noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5448581132479481740.post-80738598654492260782012-09-07T03:57:48.869-04:002012-09-07T03:57:48.869-04:00What indeed? Certainly plenty more to come on Cory...What indeed? Certainly plenty more to come on Cory from me – I have some more Fedora first editions I'll be writing about soon enough.Nick Jones (Louis XIV, the Sun King)https://www.blogger.com/profile/17716508525331235684noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5448581132479481740.post-81535667236912906512012-09-06T12:46:11.438-04:002012-09-06T12:46:11.438-04:00Pascal wrote back - he did some sterling detective...Pascal wrote back - he did some sterling detective work on this and discovered this SECRET MINISTRY paperback is dated May 1952, making it the first paperback version of this novel found so far. What other new discoveries will we make about Desmond Cory?Desmond Cory Webmasterhttp://www.desmondcory.comnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5448581132479481740.post-63273152904974818112012-09-05T13:03:18.361-04:002012-09-05T13:03:18.361-04:00Spot on - thanks for passing Pascal on to the site...Spot on - thanks for passing Pascal on to the site... and giving us a totally new book cover never seen before. <br />Desmond Cory WebmasterDesmond Cory Webmasterhttp://www.desmondcory.comnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5448581132479481740.post-27604958894414518832012-09-03T14:58:35.591-04:002012-09-03T14:58:35.591-04:00My pleasure! That would be Pascal who contacted yo...My pleasure! That would be Pascal who contacted you about the unknown paperback I assume -- he dropped me an email with a scan of the cover, so I sent him your way, as I didn't think it was in your cover galleries. I think I mentioned Shakespeare Head in another Cory post and someone left a comment about who they were; will have to look back and see if I can find it.Nick Jones (Louis XIV, the Sun King)https://www.blogger.com/profile/17716508525331235684noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5448581132479481740.post-13909808306540168882012-09-03T14:44:08.231-04:002012-09-03T14:44:08.231-04:00Louis XIV - your article has triggered some intere...Louis XIV - your article has triggered some interesting emails to the Desmond Cory website. <br />In addition to not knowing about this wrapper version of the first edition of Secret Ministry, a gentlemen from Australia to show us a totally previously unknown paperback version of it. The paperback of secret ministry has no date inside and was printed for "the shakespeare head" by "congress printing". The cover is a man driving off the cliff in his car. Estimated date around 1956.<br />So thanks for being the catalyst for some great new discoveries about Desmond Cory.<br />- The Desmond Cory site WebMasterDesmondCory Webmasterhttp://www.desmondcory.comnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5448581132479481740.post-29704028483732182622012-09-02T08:58:02.096-04:002012-09-02T08:58:02.096-04:00My pleasure. Lots more to come on both Biro and Co...My pleasure. Lots more to come on both Biro and Cory, including some more original artwork from the former and some more Johnny Fedora from the latter.Nick Jones (Louis XIV, the Sun King)https://www.blogger.com/profile/17716508525331235684noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5448581132479481740.post-85257898717389289902012-09-02T05:51:48.446-04:002012-09-02T05:51:48.446-04:00Nick - thanks for opening my world to the art of V...Nick - thanks for opening my world to the art of Val Biro and Desmond Cory novels. I visited the link to Val Biro's site and was quite impressed. I've downloaded some of Cory's ebook version on Amazon, impressed by the many reviews written about him, but it just doesn't replace having the physical copy and artwork. A bit like preferring the vinyl version of records with their sleeves rather than just an almost intangible MP3 version. <br />ValAnonymousnoreply@blogger.com