Rare 1931 American Black Chamber Yardley 1st Ed Cryptography Espionage Spy
$350.00
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Military Intelligence / Cryptography / Espionage — Scarce true first edition of Herbert O. Yardley’s landmark The American Black Chamber, published by The Bobbs-Merrill Company in 1931.
The copyright page explicitly states FIRST EDITION, an important bibliographical distinction because later 1931 editions and reprints of this famous work are frequently encountered.
Yardley was one of the pioneering figures in American signals intelligence and cryptanalysis and headed the secret U.S. cryptographic organization popularly known as the American Black Chamber. This extraordinary firsthand account revealed the methods, operations and successes of early American codebreaking and remains one of the foundational books in the history of modern intelligence.
The book takes readers inside the secret world of early twentieth-century cryptography, including the State Department Code Room, secret inks, intercepted German communications, stolen codes, the British Cipher Bureau, Soviet espionage, Japanese diplomatic codes, the Washington Naval Conference and the eventual destruction of the Black Chamber.
Illustrated throughout with fascinating examples relating to codes, intercepted communications and clandestine techniques, including the photographed example of a message written in invisible ink inside the flaps of an envelope by a German prisoner of war.
The contents include chapters titled The State Department Code Room, At the War College, Secret Inks, Two German Wireless Intercepts, A Stolen Code, The British Cipher Bureau, Soviet Spies, Japanese Secret Codes, The Washington Armament Conference, and The Black Chamber Is Destroyed, among others.
Publication Details:
Herbert O. Yardley
The American Black Chamber
The Bobbs-Merrill Company, Indianapolis
1931
Stated First Edition
375 pages
Illustrated
Original black cloth hardcover with red lettering and decoration
No dust jacket
Condition: Fair to Good antique condition. Original black cloth binding remains intact and retains the distinctive red lettering and geometric decoration to the front board and spine. Boards and spine show considerable age-related rubbing, scuffing, discoloration and shelf wear. Spine ends and corners exhibit significant wear and fraying, including cloth loss/fraying at the upper spine area as clearly photographed.
Page edges and interior exhibit substantial age toning. Scattered spotting and age-related marks are present. Previous bookseller/owner pencil notations appear on an endpaper. Binding remains together and the book is complete based upon inspection, with text and illustrations remaining readily readable.
No dust jacket is present.
Please examine all photographs carefully for exact condition; photographs form an important part of the description.
An important original artifact from the formative years of American cryptography, signals intelligence and espionage history. Far more than a general memoir, Yardley’s book publicly revealed the operations of America’s secret peacetime codebreaking organization and became one of the best-known works in the history of cryptology.
A particularly desirable title for collections devoted to American intelligence, cryptography, espionage, military intelligence, secret communications, World War I, interwar diplomacy, Japanese-American relations and the history of modern codebreaking.
SKU V/2
Rare 1931 American Black Chamber Yardley 1st Ed Cryptography Espionage Spy
$350.00
The copyright page explicitly states FIRST EDITION, an important bibliographical distinction because later 1931 editions and reprints of this famous work are frequently encountered.
Yardley was one of the pioneering figures in American signals intelligence and cryptanalysis and headed the secret U.S. cryptographic organization popularly known as the American Black Chamber. This extraordinary firsthand account revealed the methods, operations and successes of early American codebreaking and remains one of the foundational books in the history of modern intelligence.
The book takes readers inside the secret world of early twentieth-century cryptography, including the State Department Code Room, secret inks, intercepted German communications, stolen codes, the British Cipher Bureau, Soviet espionage, Japanese diplomatic codes, the Washington Naval Conference and the eventual destruction of the Black Chamber.
Illustrated throughout with fascinating examples relating to codes, intercepted communications and clandestine techniques, including the photographed example of a message written in invisible ink inside the flaps of an envelope by a German prisoner of war.
The contents include chapters titled The State Department Code Room, At the War College, Secret Inks, Two German Wireless Intercepts, A Stolen Code, The British Cipher Bureau, Soviet Spies, Japanese Secret Codes, The Washington Armament Conference, and The Black Chamber Is Destroyed, among others.
Publication Details:
Herbert O. Yardley
The American Black Chamber
The Bobbs-Merrill Company, Indianapolis
1931
Stated First Edition
375 pages
Illustrated
Original black cloth hardcover with red lettering and decoration
No dust jacket
Condition: Fair to Good antique condition. Original black cloth binding remains intact and retains the distinctive red lettering and geometric decoration to the front board and spine. Boards and spine show considerable age-related rubbing, scuffing, discoloration and shelf wear. Spine ends and corners exhibit significant wear and fraying, including cloth loss/fraying at the upper spine area as clearly photographed.
Page edges and interior exhibit substantial age toning. Scattered spotting and age-related marks are present. Previous bookseller/owner pencil notations appear on an endpaper. Binding remains together and the book is complete based upon inspection, with text and illustrations remaining readily readable.
No dust jacket is present.
Please examine all photographs carefully for exact condition; photographs form an important part of the description.
An important original artifact from the formative years of American cryptography, signals intelligence and espionage history. Far more than a general memoir, Yardley’s book publicly revealed the operations of America’s secret peacetime codebreaking organization and became one of the best-known works in the history of cryptology.
A particularly desirable title for collections devoted to American intelligence, cryptography, espionage, military intelligence, secret communications, World War I, interwar diplomacy, Japanese-American relations and the history of modern codebreaking.
SKU V/2