The lure of rarity

Recently took a trip to Leicester to see James Pickard, who was selling a collection of Deighton items from one of the world's leading collectors of Deighton materials (...Deightonaria, perhaps?) but who's sadly having to sell it. If anyone reading this blog is looking to snap up some really fabulous items for their collection, do get in touch with James through his website.

I managed to pick up some super rare items that I've been looking for for a long, long time - gaps in my collection - including the original Dove Ark supplement, three pristine copies of the first three novels and Elephanta, the rare as hen's teeth in-house magazine for the White Elephant restaurant in London, which in the seventies was one of the main haunts for the 'stars' of stage, screen and music. Len Deighton was one of the contributing editors. The magazine itself is of some interest - it has a rare photo of Deighton in it - but it's of more interest as a cultural artefact from the seventies, replete with flexi-disc (now, that dates it!).

Always worthwhile, trips up to Leicester. But as I always find out from James.....there's more to track down!