"There is no friend as loyal as a book."
— Ernest Hemingway
Ian Fleming | First Editions
1908 - 1964
See below for our world-leading stock of Ian Fleming first editions, signed first editions, fine bindings, sets, association copies, letters, and other collectible material relating to Fleming and his famous creation, James Bond.
Ian Lancaster Fleming was born in Mayfair, London on 28th May 1908, the second of four brothers. He was schooled at Eton College and continued his education in Europe, studying languages in Kitzbuhel, Munich and Geneva. In the 1930's Fleming worked as both a merchant banker and a stockbroker, but it was at journalism (initially reporting for Reuters, then freelance) that he excelled. During World War II, with the rank of Commander, he worked as assistant to the Director of Naval Intelligence at the Admiralty in London, privy to many secrets. It was his experience in this role and his earlier escapades in Russia that were to inspire many of the plots and characters that would appear within his later novels. After the war Fleming dabbled in travel journalism and began writing instructional articles for his network of 'Mercury [news] Service' agents. In the late '40s he bought a property in Jamaica, where in early 1952 he settled down to write a novel. Casino Royale, the first James Bond adventure, was produced in just two months. The same successful routine was followed every year for the rest of his life, leading to a total of fourteen Bond books.
Ian Fleming
Queen Anne Press
Ian Fleming the Bibliography by Jon Gilbert
The Lilly Library
James Bond First Editions
The Ian Fleming Foundation
Casino Royale.
London: Jonathan Cape, 1953. [Spy thriller] FIRST EDITION. Octavo (20 x 13cm), pp.218; [2], blank. Publisher's black cloth-effect paper over boards with red titles and 'Heart' design to upper, tail edge untrimmed. Book is near fine, clean inside, endpaper expertly replaced with stock of a similar tone and weight, covers..... More
The Diamond Smugglers.
London: Ian Fleming Publications Limited, 2009. [True Crime] FIRST EDITION THUS, SIGNED COPY. Octavo (21 x 14cm), pp.116. Autographed by Fergus Fleming in black ink to the title page, in my presence. Publisher's green cloth with silver titles to spine. With the pictorial dust-jacket, priced at £15. A fine as-new..... More
The Diamond Smugglers.
London: Jonathan Cape, 1957. [True Crime] FIRST EDITION. Octavo (20 x 14cm), pp.160. Illustrated with photographs. Elegantly hand-bound in half black calf over matching cloth sides, spine gilt-lettered in six compartments with raised bands. Some occasional browning within; externally unmarked. A very good copy in an attractive recent leather binding..... More
The Diamond Smugglers.
London: Jonathan Cape, 1957. [True Crime] FIRST EDITION. Octavo (20 x 14cm), pp.160. Illustrated with photographs. Publisher's black cloth with titles to the spine in bronze, original dust-jacket illustrated by Denis Piper, priced at 12/6. A near fine copy with usual tarnish to cheap foil used for lettering, jacket near..... More
The Diamond Smugglers.
London: Jonathan Cape, 1957. [True Crime] FIRST EDITION. Octavo (20 x 14cm), pp.160. Illustrated with photographs. Publisher's black cloth with titles to the spine in bronze. A clean ex-library copy without jacket. 'Withdrawn' stamp to flyleaf, discreet shelf number to foot of p.6, no library marks to title page, gilt..... More
![On Her Majesty's Secret Service [set of official film stills/lobby cards]. Ian - Promotional...](/pictures/thumb/59235.jpg?v=1616780404)
On Her Majesty's Secret Service [set of official film stills/lobby cards].
United Artists, Printed in Great Britain, 1969. [Cinema promotion] A complete set of 8 original UK Front of House Stills for the movie adaptation of Ian Fleming's 'On Her Majesty's Secret Service', produced by Harry Saltzman Albert R. Broccoli's EON Productions and directed by Peter Hunt, starring Diana Rigg, Telly..... More
The Centenary Edition of the Works of Ian Fleming.
London: Queen Anne Press 2008. LIMITED EDITION in Vellum over cloth sides, one of just 100 copies. 18 volumes, octavo. The definitive edition of Ian Fleming, issued to commemorate the birth of the author; no such edition has been published before. The Queen Anne Press was created by Lord Kemsley..... More
Diamonds are Forever.
New York, NY: Permabooks, 1957. [Spy novel] FIRST AMERICAN SOFTCOVER EDITION. Octavo (15 x 10cm), pp.179; [3], advertisements. Series No. M3084. Publisher's illustrated card covers, all edges tinted red, with printed price 25 cents. A little rubbing/wear to joins, tiny chip to head of spine; near fine. Issued uniformly with..... More
Diamonds are Forever.
New York: Permabooks, 1957. [Spy novel] FIRST AMERICAN SOFTCOVER EDITION. Octavo (15 x 10cm), pp.179; [3], advertisements. Series No. M-3084. Publisher's illustrated card covers, all edges tinted red, with printed price 25 cents. Minor wear, some soiling to inside cover and first leaf; very good. Issued uniformly with 'Too Hot..... More
From Russia, With Love (a James Bond novel)
London: Jonathan Cape. 1957, FIRST EDITION, First Impression, Binding A, an ASSOCIATION COPY. Pp.253. Publisher's cloth-effect paper over boards in pictorial dust-wrapper illustrated by Richard Chopping. A used copy but with no significant defects; jacket darkened to spine, rubbed to joints with some chips and tears. Preserved in a clamshell..... More
Ian Fleming's James Bond novels, the complete Signet paperback series. Comprising: Casino Royale, Live and Let Die, Moonraker, Diamonds Are Forever, From Russia With Love, Dr. No, Goldfinger, For Your Eyes Only (short stories inc. From A View To A Kill, Quantum of Solace), Thunderball, The Spy Who loved Me, On Her Majesty's Secret Service, You Only Live Twice, The Man with the Golden Gun, Octopussy and The Living Daylights (short stories)
New York, NY: Signet Books, Published by The New American Library, 1958-1967. [Spy Fiction] FIRST SIGNET EDITIONS, all first printings. Fourteen volumes, octavo (18 x 11 x 17cm). Publisher's colour illustrated softcovers, all edges tinted red. Single owner name to 'Octopussy', some handling and wear, expected toning to cheap paper..... More
Live and Let Die
London: Jonathan Cape. 1959. [Spy thriller] AN INSCRIBED ASSOCIATION COPY. Sixth printing. Octavo (20 x 14cm), pp.240. Publisher's black, gilt-embossed cloth-effect paper over boards, in purple dustwrapper. SIGNED by the author to the flyleaf. This copy is from the library of Stan Meyer, with his ownership plate to the endpaper..... More
![You Only Live Twice [Variant wrapper with wide flaps]. Ian Lancaster FLEMING](/pictures/thumb/56973.jpg?v=1593709205)
You Only Live Twice [Variant wrapper with wide flaps]
London: Jonathan Cape. 1964. FIRST EDITION, First State, Binding A. Octavo (20 x 14cm), pp.256. Publisher's black cloth-effect paper ('Excelin') over boards with silver titles to spine and Japanese characters in gilt to upper, bamboo patterned endpapers. With the dust-jacket illustrated by Richard Chopping, priced at 16s. This copy features..... More
You Only Live Twice.
London: Jonathan Cape, 1964. [Spy novel] FIRST EDITION. Octavo (20 x 14cm), pp.256. With 'First Published March 1964' on the copyright page. Publisher's dark grey cloth-effect paper over boards with silver titles to spine and Japanese characters in gilt to upper, bamboo patterned endpapers, pictorial dust-wrapper by Richard Chopping priced..... More
You Only Live Twice.
London: Jonathan Cape, 1964. [Spy novel] FIRST EDITION. Octavo (20 x 14cm), pp.256. With 'First Published March 1964' on the copyright page, being the rarer of the two First printing states (Gilbert). Publisher's dark grey cloth-effect paper over boards with silver titles to spine and Japanese characters in gilt to..... More
The Illustrated James Bond, 007. Diamonds are Forever; From Russia with Love; Doctor No.
Bronxville, NY: James Bond 007 Fan Club, 1981. [James Bond Comics] FIRST THUS. Small quarto (28 x 22cm), pp.[6] 90. Containing three comic adventures illustrated by McLusky. Publisher's soft covers illustrated by Sciacca & Buckler, priced at $6.95. Some light wear to spine. A fine copy. More
Chitty Chitty Bang Bang. The Magical Car. Illustrated by John Burningham.
London: Puffin Books, 2008. [Children's Adventure] SIGNED FIRST EDITION THUS, signed by the illustrator. Quarto (26 x 221cm), pp.[8]; 113; [7]. Publisher's red cloth in metallic glossy pictorial dust-wrapper. A fine unused copy, the shiny jacket showing a couple of small scratches. A classic adventure story featuring a high-spirited family..... More
Chitty Chitty Bang Bang. The Magical Car. Illustrated by John Burningham.
London: Jonathan Cape and Queen Anne Press, 2014. [Children's illustrated] LIMITED EDITION. In three volumes, complete. Octavo (25 x 17cm), pp.48; pp.48; pp.48. Publisher's white hardcovers in glossy pictorial dust-wrappers, the three volumes are presented in a racing green slip-case. A facsimile of the first edition of Ian Fleming's famous..... More
Chitty Chitty Bang Bang. The Magical Car. Illustrated by John Burningham.
London: Jonathan Cape and Queen Anne Press, 2014. [Children's illustrated] LIMITED EDITION. In three volumes, complete. Octavo (25 x 17cm), pp.48; pp.48; pp.48. Publisher's white hardcovers in glossy pictorial dust-wrappers, the three volumes are presented in a racing green slip-case. A facsimile of the first edition of Ian Fleming's famous..... More
Chitty Chitty Bang Bang. The Magical Car. Illustrated by John Burningham.
London: Jonathan Cape and Queen Anne Press, 2014. [Children's illustrated] DELUXE LIMITED EDITION, one of just 50 sets, accompanied by two prints, measuring 297 x 210mm, SIGNED and numbered by John Burningham. Three volumes plus portfolio, housed in a grey cloth slipcase (34 x 24 x 6cm), pp.48; pp.48; pp.48..... More
Dr. No.
London: The Folio Society, 2017. [James Bond] SIGNED FIRST EDITION THUS. Octavo (24 x 17cm), pp.x; 239 [7]. With seven colour plates by Dalton, including a frontispiece. SIGNED by the illustrator in black ink to title page. Publisher's metallic grey cloth, with silver and bronze titles to spine and upper..... More
From Russia With Love.
London: The Folio Society, 2016. [James Bond] SIGNED FIRST EDITION THUS. Octavo (24 x 17cm), pp.xii; 259 [1]. With seven colour plates by Dalton, including a frontispiece. SIGNED by the illustrator in black ink to title page. Publisher's metallic grey cloth, with silver and bronze titles to spine and upper..... More
Goldfinger.
London: The Folio Society, 2018. [James Bond] SIGNED FIRST EDITION THUS. Octavo (24 x 17cm), pp.xii; 274. With seven colour plates by Dalton, including a frontispiece. SIGNED by the illustrator in black ink to title page. Publisher's metallic grey cloth, with silver and bronze titles to spine and upper. Grey..... More
Moonraker.
London: The Folio Society, 2017. [James Bond] SIGNED FIRST EDITION THUS. Octavo (24 x 17cm), pp.x; 243 [3]. With seven colour plates by Dalton, including a frontispiece. SIGNED by the illustrator in black ink to title page. Publisher's metallic grey cloth, with silver and bronze titles to spine and upper..... More
The Spy Who Loved Me.
London: The Folio Society, 2020. [James Bond] SIGNED FIRST EDITION THUS. Octavo (24 x 17cm), pp.xii; 154 [2]. With seven colour plates by Dalton, including a frontispiece. SIGNED by the illustrator in black ink to title page. Publisher's metallic grey cloth, with silver and bronze titles to spine and upper..... More