Vintage 1943 Edition — Complete & Unabridged
Up for sale is a wonderful copy of W. Somerset Maugham's classic espionage masterpiece, Ashenden or The British Agent, published by the Avon Book Company in 1943. This early pocket-sized edition is a fantastic piece of WWII-era publishing history, highly collected for its iconic mid-century pulp design and beautiful wrap-around cover art.
Please review all photos in image_ddbd33.jpg carefully to assess condition before purchasing.
Cover: Vibrant colors with an incredible wrap-around illustration that continues onto the back cover. Shows typical light edge wear and minor corner chipping. There is a faint, vintage pencil mark/price ("01015") near the author's name on the front.
Spine: Fully intact with bright, readable yellow lettering. Shows minor chipping/paper loss at the top and bottom tips, along with normal hinge creasing from age.
Interior: Complete and readable. Pages display standard age-toning/browning common for fragile wood-pulp wartime paper stock from the 1940s. The binding remains firm and secure.
Spy Fiction History: Ashenden is widely recognized as one of the very first modern, realistic spy novels, drawing directly on Maugham's personal experiences in the British Secret Intelligence Service during WWI.
Stunning Design: Features the beloved early "New Avon Library" branding and full wrap-around cover graphics that display beautifully on a collector's shelf.
Shipping: Shipped securely in a box with bubble wrap to preserve its condition during transit. Feel free to message with any questions!