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
'Moonraker' review contained within 'Now and Then' magazine, Number 94, Spring 1955.
London: Jonathan Cape. [1955]. [Journal] Pp.24. Price sixpence. Magazine format, illustrated. Fine. Publisher Jonathan Cape's literary magazine for the publishing industry, booksellers and the public alike. Contains Charles Fortescue's review of the latest James Bond novel 'Moonraker' (p.5). There is also an advertisement for the forthcoming book printed on the..... More
'Operation Thunderball' contained within 'Now and Then' magazine, Number 107 Spring, 1961.
London: Jonathan Cape Ltd., 1961. [Fleming] Pp.24. Price ninepence. Magazine format, illustrated. Publisher Jonathan Cape's literary magazine for the publishing industry, booksellers and the public alike. Contains the first separate appearance of S.P.E.C.T.R.E.'s ransom letter sent to the Prime Minister, extracted from the novel 'Thunderball' (Chapter 1 'Fasten your lap-strap'..... More
'Operation Thunderball' contained within 'Now and Then' magazine, Number 107 Spring, 1961.
London: Jonathan Cape Ltd., 1961. [Journal] Pp.24. Price ninepence. Magazine format, illustrated. Publisher Jonathan Cape's literary magazine for the publishing industry, booksellers and the public alike. Contains the first separate appearance of S.P.E.C.T.R.E.'s ransom letter sent to the Prime Minister, extracted from the novel 'Thunderball' (Chapter 1 'Fasten your lap-strap'..... More
Casino Royale.
London: Jonathan Cape, 1953. [Spy thriller] FIRST IMPRESSION, EXPORT COPY. 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. Housed in a bespoke leather-spine clamshell box. Contents clean, edges toned, endpapers with identity marks of..... More
Introduces Jamaica. Edited by Morris Cargill.
London: Andre Deutsch, 1965. [Travel book] FIRST EDITION, Second Impression. Octavo (24 x 16cm), pp.240, illustrated throughout with colour plates, map endpapers printed in colour. Publisher's russet cloth hardcover, gilt titles, top edge ochre, in photographic dust-jacket. A clean, fine copy of the book in a an attractive near fine..... More
Introduces Jamaica. Edited by Morris Cargill.
New York: Hawthorn Books 1965 [actually published early 1966]. [Travel book] FIRST AMERICAN EDITION, printed at the same time as the British sheets and sharing the same pagination. Octavo (24 x 16cm), pp.240, illustrated throughout with colour plates, cartographic endpapers printed in colour. Publisher's russet cloth hardcover, gilt titles, top..... 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 our presence. Publisher's green cloth with silver titles to spine. With the pictorial dust-jacket, priced at £15. A fine /..... More
The Diamond Smugglers [together with] Thrilling Cities.
London: Ian Fleming Publications Limited, 2009. [Documentaries] Two volumes, FIRST EDITIONS THUS. Octavos (21 x 14cm). Publisher's green cloth with silver titles to spines, pictorial dust-jacket, priced at £15. Fine / as-new copies. Featuring new forewords by Fergus Fleming and Jan Morris. Fleming's only two non-fiction books, published in-house by..... 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. Elegantly hand-bound in half black calf over matching cloth sides, spine gilt-lettered in six compartments with raised bands. A near fine copy in an attractive recent leather binding. Ian Fleming's first non-Bond book, and..... More
The Diamond Smugglers.
London: Pan Books, 1960. [True Crime] The FIRST Pan paperback edition. Series No G328. Octavo (18 x 11cm), pp.152; [7], advertisements. With a central section of black and white stills. Publisher's softcovers illustrated by Tayler, priced at 2s.6d. Some age-toning to the paper stock as expected, binding ever so slightly..... More
The Diamond Smugglers.
London: Jonathan Cape, 1957. [True Crime] FIRST EDITION, bibliographer's copy. Octavo (20 x 14cm), pp.160. Illustrated with photographs. Elegantly hand-bound in half navy calf over marbled paper-covered cloth sides, spine gilt-lettered in six compartments with raised bands. Some dampmarking to plates else fine, in an attractive recent leather binding. Jon..... More
The Diamond Smugglers.
London: Jonathan Cape, 1957. [True Crime] FIRST EDITION, FIRST STATE, bibliographer's copy. Octavo (20 x 14cm), pp.160. Illustrated with photographs. Publisher's black cloth with white titles to the spine. A working copy with associated handling and use, some copy editing, offset browning to half title, lacks f.e.p, provided with a...... More
The Diamond Smugglers.
London: Jonathan Cape, 1957. [True Crime] FIRST EDITION, FIRST ISSUE. Octavo (20 x 14cm), pp.160. Illustrated with photographs. Publisher's black cloth with white titles to the spine in original dust-jacket illustrated by Denis Piper, priced at 12/6. Contents clean, edges slightly toned, jacket gently sunned to spine, one small nick..... More
The Diamond Smugglers.
London: Jonathan Cape, 1957. [True Crime] FIRST EDITION, second impression. Octavo (20 x 14cm), pp.160. Illustrated with photographs. Publisher's black cloth with white titles to the spine in original dust-jacket illustrated by Denis Piper, priced at 12/6. No inscriptions, spotting or toning. A clean, fine copy of the book in..... More
The Diamond Smugglers.
London: Jonathan Cape, 1957. [True Crime] FIRST EDITION. Octavo (20 x 14cm), pp.160. Illustrated with photographs. 'Askew' style library binding with glazed boards, small shelf label to spine. A clean ex-library copy with discreet stamps to copyright page and final leaf, loans label pocket to f.e.p., spine gently sunned. Many..... More
The Diamond Smugglers. With an Introduction by Fergus Fleming.
Las Vegas: Thomas & Mercer, March 2013. [True Crime] FIRST PRINTING of this edition, SIGNED by Fergus Fleming. Octavo (21 x 14cm), pp.104; [2]. Publisher's softcovers designed by Archie Ferguson, priced at $14.95. A fine/as new copy. Autographed and inscribed 'For Jon' in blue ink to foreword. Signature obtained by..... More
Introduces Jamaica. Edited by Morris Cargill.
London: Andre Deutsch, 1965. [Travel book] FIRST EDITION, FIRST STATE of the dust-jacket as described in the bibliography. Octavo (24 x 16cm), pp.240, illustrated throughout with colour plates, cartographic endpapers printed in colour. Publisher's russet cloth hardcover, gilt titles, top edge ochre, in photographic dust-jacket. Contents clean, no inscriptions. Jacket..... More
Introduces Jamaica. Edited by Morris Cargill.
London: Andre Deutsch, 1973. [Travel book] REVISED EDITION. Octavo (24 x 16cm), pp.236; [4], illustrated throughout with colour plates, map endpapers printed in colour. Publisher's russet cloth hardcover, gilt titles, top edge ochre, in photographic dust-jacketpriced at £2.25. A clean, fine copy of the book in similar jacket. An excellent..... More
Introduces Jamaica. Edited by Morris Cargill.
London: Andre Deutsch, 1965. [Travel book] FIRST EDITION, Second Impression. Octavo (24 x 16cm), pp.240, illustrated throughout with colour plates, map endpapers printed in colour. Publisher's russet cloth hardcover, gilt titles, top edge ochre, in photographic dust-jacket priced at 42s. Trivial wear to jacket, corner bumped; remains a fresh, bright..... More
Introduces Jamaica. Edited by Morris Cargill.
Jamaica: Sangster's Book Stores / Andre Deutsch, 1965. [Travel book] FIRST EDITION, Second Impression, JAMAICAN ISSUE. Octavo (24 x 16cm), pp.240, illustrated throughout with colour plates, map endpapers printed in colour. Publisher's russet cloth hardcover, gilt titles, top edge ochre, in photographic dust-jacket. Neat ink inscription, jacket with some edgewear..... More
The Hand of Mary Constable.
William Heinemann, 1964. Octavo. Original black cloth, spine lettered in gilt with titles in orange compartment, publisher's motif blocked in blind to rear board. With dust jacket. Housed in custom blue quarter morocco solander case. A very good copy, extremities rubbed, edges foxed, light offsetting to endpapers, in like dust..... More
Colonel Sun. A James Bond Adventure.
Jonathan Cape, 1968. Octavo. Original green wrappers, lettered in black, decorated with white publisher's motif. With dust jacket. Housed in custom blue quarter morocco solander case. A very good copy, spine creased and lightly stained, otherwise in good condition for a proof copy, in like dust jacket, edges rubbed and..... More
The James Bond Dossier.
Jonathan Cape, 1965. Octavo. Original green wrappers, lettered in black and decorated with white publisher's motif. A near-fine copy, spine creased otherwise in excellent condition for a proof copy. Uncorrected proof copy, Kingsley Amis's first venture into the world of James Bond. He also wrote a light-hearted work The Book..... More
Die Another Day.
Hodder & Stoughton, 2002. Octavo. Original blue boards, spine lettered in silver. With dust jacket. A fine copy. First edition, first impression, signed by the author and cast members who starred in the film. This copy is signed by Samantha Bond, Judi Dench, Rosamund Pike and Rick Yune on the..... More