Talking Birds.

KNIGHT, Maxwell. Illustrated by David Corwell [John le Carre].

$3,200.00

Item Number: 131508

London: G. Belll & Sons, Ltd, 1961.

First edition of Knight’s work on the varying capabilities of talking birds; illustrated by David Cornwell (John le Carre) and one of his earliest appearances in print. Octavo, original cloth, illustrated by David Corwell. Signed by him on the title page with both his real and pen name, “David Cornwell x x a.k.a. John le Carre.” Near fine in a near fine dust jacket. Jacket photograph by Alec Brooksbank. Small ownership name. Scarce signed by Le Carre with not other signed copies traced in auction records.

Maxwell Knight, as well as being an acclaimed naturalist and broadcaster, worked as a spymaster at MI5 and was reputedly the inspiration for Ian Fleming's 'M' as well as for Le Carré's Jack Brotherhood in A Perfect Spy. Published in the same year as A Call for the Dead, the present work is one of the earliest appearances in print for Le Carré and an especially unusual display of his talents as an illustrator.