OK guys, I have been in touch with Graham Rye.
I had a very pleasant, and need I say very interesting & very informative discussion with him.
Here is his written response, in its entirety, direct from the man himself:
"
‘Twenty Years of James Bond’ – A tribute in pencil to the late Ian Fleming by Mick DolbyAs nearly a quarter century has past since I first published this artwork by commercial illustrator Mick Dolby in 007 MAGAZINE Issue #17 (March 1988) my memory is a little hazy. I believe the first time I saw this illustration was during a visit to Ian Fleming’s publishers Jonathan Cape in Bedford Square, London. The late Tony Colwell, who was Marketing Director for Cape at that time, allowed me unprecedented access to their filing system on site that contained their records on the marketing and publication of Fleming’s Bond novels. Among the many other treasures I found in those files, there was a printed mini-poster in black & white of the Dolby illustration. Apparently it had been undertaken by the artist as a self-promotional work in 1973 when he had a limited number of litho-produced prints run off, and in due course had sent a copy to the Cape offices that had been duly filed.
I was never very happy with how the illustration reproduced in that edition in 007 MAGAZINE, as the original artwork was considerably larger and much of the fine detail in Mick Dolby’s excellent work was lost at that size. With more modern printing techniques now available, perhaps 007 MAGAZINE should run this illustration again one day.
Graham Rye
Editor, Designer, Publisher
007 MAGAZINE
007 MAGAZINE ARCHIVE FILES
007 MAGAZINE & ARCHIVE Limited
007 Magazine"
This has helped me and the sender of the image enormously.
I hope the information presented above is also of value to everyone else.
I personally do hope the image is reproduced once more in 007 Magazine, as I am very intrigued to see the artwork the way it was intended to be seen in magazine format.
Thank you to Paul & Bruce (the cheeky bugger), and thank you to Graham Rye.
I appreciate all help, as always.