MACLEAN DONALD: (1913-1983) British Diplomat & Spy, a member of the Cambridge Five. An extremely rare original ...

MACLEAN DONALD: (1913-1983) British Diplomat & Spy, a member of the Cambridge Five. An extremely rare original pencil drawing signed by Maclean, one page, 4to, March 1933, on the printed stationery of The Union Society, Cambridge. Maclean has executed an accomplished drawing, most likely a self-portrait, the image showing a young man, seated in a profile head and shoulders pose with a pensive expression on his face. Signed ('Donald Maclean') by Maclean in bold pencil at the foot of the drawing and dated March 1933 in his hand. Above the signature MacLean appears to have written the words 'I am'. A few very light, minor stains. About VG Donald Maclean studied modern languages at Trinity Hall, Cambridge, arriving at the university in 1931. Whilst there he became a member of the Communist Party and was a relatively well-known figure on campus. His literary efforts included a book review in 1933 for Cambridge Left, a journal to which other communists contributed, and in 1934 he became the editor of Silver Crescent, the Trinity Hall students' magazine. In his last year at Cambridge Maclean became an agent of The People's Commissariat for Internal Affairs (NKVD), the interior ministry of the Soviet Union, and graduated with a First in modern languages before entering the Diplomatic Service.