Signed Eric Ambler ~ Authenticate Signature ~ Autograph
If you have a first edition book, letter or autograph and wonder whether it is genuinely signed by Eric Ambler then this article may be of some help in rooting out the forgeries from the real thing
A Genuine Signature
It’s important to remember when authenticating genuine signatures, or indeed identifying a forgery, that you are not looking for an exact mirror copy of any example you have. We all sign our names slightly different and the passage of time often sees quite a change.
Remember also that it could be the 200th book the writer has signed in the last hour !
You’ll see the example below is not quite as tidy as the first picture but genuine non-the-less
Another Example
The presence of a genuine signature clearly adds value, how much value depends largely on the author and the book.
With this author there is a reasonable premium as he is not regarded as a prolific signer in modern terms.
Early books will carry the highest premiums and are of considerable value in true first edition state with original dust jacket
Later titles, such as The Care of Time or the limited Edition of The Ability to Kill for example, are more reasonable and can be bought from professional dealers for less that £35 or $50 !
Early and cornerstone titles can, and do, run into 4 figure sums !
It certainly would be regarded as rare in an early 1st edition.
Some of the later titles are not uncommon and can be bought relatively cheaply, as previously mentioned
This is a debate which splits many collectors and dealers. Personally I believe the most desirable in order are:
Inscribed association copy
Flatsigned on title page, next best on endpaper
Inscribed to A.N. Other
An Early Publicity Still
The Dark Frontier (1936)
Uncommon Danger (alt title in America: Background to Danger) (1937)
Epitaph for a Spy (1938)
Cause for Alarm (1938)
The Mask of Dimitrios (published in US as: A Coffin for Dimitrios) (1939)
Journey into Fear (1940)
Judgment on Deltchev (1951)
The Schirmer Inheritance (1953))
The Night-Comers (1956) (aka State of Siege)
Passage of Arms (1959)
The Light of Day (1962) (aka Topkapi)
The Ability to Kill (1963)
A Kind of Anger (1964)
Dirty Story (1967) (alternative title: This Gun for Hire)
The Intercom Conspiracy (1969) (also under the title: The Quiet Conspiracy)
The Levanter (1972)
Doctor Frigo (1974)
Send No More Roses (1977) (US version called: The Siege of the Villa Lipp )
The Care of Time (1981)
Here Lies: An Autobiography (1985)
Waiting for Orders (1991) (aka The Story so Far)
Under the Pseudonym Eliot Reed
Skytip (1950)
Tender to Danger (1951) - (also published as Tender to Moonlight)
The Maras Affair (1953)
Charter to Danger (1954)
Passport to Panic (1958)
We hope you found this guide useful, if so please feel free to leave a comment or link to the page should you wish
All the best
Rod Collins
Goldeneye rare Books
jeremy thompson said,
August 23, 2010 @ 1:53 am
i have 75 inscribed ambler books for sale. many are first editions, some are reading copies, and a few are ist edition paperbacks. All signatures are genuine since i met with the late Mr Ambler in London when he signed them in 1980.