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
Goldfinger.
Garden City, New York: International Collectors Library, n.d. [1980s]. [Spy novel] INTERNATIONAL COLLECTORS LIBRARY EDITION. Octavo (21 x 15cm), pp.223; [5], blank. Publisher's 'antique-style' leather-effect vinyl over boards, raised bands to spine, tooled in gilt, green eps., yellow embroidered head and tail bands, fore-edge untrimmed. Very light rubbing to extremities..... More
Goldfinger.
London: Jonathan Cape, 1959. [Spy thriller] FIRST EDITION (Linson cloth), bibliographer's copy. Octavo (20 x 13cm), pp.318. Publisher's black cloth-effect material over boards, with titles to spine in SILVER and 'skull' design to upper in gilt. Boots 'Booklovers' Library copy with printed slip inserted, with metal ring to crown (these..... More
Goldfinger.
London: Jonathan Cape, 1959. [Spy thriller] FIRST EDITION (Linson cloth), bibliographer's copy. Octavo (20 x 13cm), pp.318. Publisher's black cloth-effect material over boards, with titles to spine and 'skull' design to upper in gilt. Boots 'Booklovers' Library copy with printed slip inserted, with metal ring to crown (these were hung..... More
Goldfinger.
London: Jonathan Cape, 1959. [Spy thriller] FIRST EDITION, earliest state of the binding, bibliographer's copy. Octavo (20 x 13cm), pp.318. Publisher's black cloth-effect paper over boards with 'skull' design stamped to upper with extra detail as described and photographed in the bibliography (p.235). A working copy; disbound sheets (loose) in..... More
Goldfinger.
London: Jonathan Cape, 1974. [Espionage novel] Eighth printing. Vintage hardcover reprint, bibliographer's copy, SIGNED AND INSCRIBED by Desmond Llewelyn. Octavo (19 x 13cm), pp.318. Publisher's dark grey cloth in illustrated dust-jacket. With presentation note to flyleaf; To John / with best wishes / Desmond Llewelyn (underlined) / Q / Major..... More
Goldfinger.
UK: Heron Books, Printed in Geneva, 1981. [Spy novel] FIRST ILLUSTRATED EDITION. Octavo (20 x 12cm), pp.[x] 318. With a frontispiece portrait of the author by Sheilagh Noble. Publisher's burgundy faux-leather vinyl over boards, tooled in gilt, ribbon marker, brown endpapers, embroidered head and tail bands. No jacket was issued..... More
Goldfinger.
London: Jonathan Cape, 1959. [Spy thriller] FIRST EDITION, variant binding with silver lettering, INSCRIBED BY THE DEDICATEE. Octavo (20 x 13cm), pp.318. An unusual pre-publication association/presentation copy with signed inscription by Ian Fleming's literary editor William Plomer. Publisher's black cloth-effect material over boards, with titles to spine in SILVER and..... More
Goldfinger.
London: Jonathan Cape, 1959. [Spy thriller] FIRST EDITION. Octavo (20 x 13cm), pp.318. Publisher's black cloth-effect material over boards, with titles to spine and 'skull' design to upper in gilt. No ink names. A few small spots to fore edge else a fresh, near fine copy without dust-jacket. The seventh..... More
Goldfinger.
London: Jonathan Cape, 1959. [Spy thriller] FIRST EDITION, FIRST ISSUE. Octavo (20 x 13cm), pp.318. Publisher's black cloth-effect paper over boards with 'skull' design stamped to upper, in original pictorial dust-wrapper designed by Richard Chopping, priced at 15s. Contents clean with no inscriptions. A near fine book in a jacket..... More
Goldfinger.
London: Jonathan Cape, 1978. [Espionage novel] Vintage hardcover reprint. Octavo (19 x 13cm), pp.318. A clean ex-library copy. Publisher's cloth binding, illustrated dust-jacket priced £3.95. Ninth printing. Covers are fresh, contents toned, ink stamps to margin of p.5 (none elsewhere), library declassification mark to f.e.p., bookplate of Fleming bibliographer Jon..... More
Goldfinger.
London: Jonathan Cape, 1959. [Spy thriller] FIRST EDITION, printer's copy. Octavo (20 x 13cm), pp.318. Publisher's black cloth-effect material over boards, with titles to spine in SILVER and 'skull' design blocked in gold to upper. Most copies were lettered to the spine in gilt. Contents clean, no inscriptions. A crisp..... More
Goldfinger.
London: Jonathan Cape, 1959. [Spy thriller] FIRST EDITION, Second impression. An association copy, formerly belonging to Sefton Delmer, a fellow intelligence agent, journalist colleague and close friend of Ian Fleming. Delmer bookplate (Valley Farm) to pastedown and auction lot slip tucked in [sold through Bonhams, 2009]. Octavo (20 x 13cm)..... More
Goldfinger.
London: Jonathan Cape, 1959. [Spy thriller] FIRST EDITION, Second impression. Brigadier Fitzroy Maclean's copy, with his printed visiting card and Cape book label loosely inserted. Octavo (20 x 13cm), pp.318. Publisher's black cloth-effect paper over boards with 'skull' design stamped to upper, pictorial dust-wrapper designed by Richard Chopping, priced at..... More
Goldfinger.
London: Pan Books, 1959. [James Bond] The FIRST Pan paperback edition. 'Great Pan' series G455. Octavo (16 x 10cm), pp.223; [1], advertisement. Publisher's illustrated softcovers priced at 2s 6d. Pages gently tanned, covers are clean and bright with very light rubbing to joint. Near fine. Gilbert A7a (18). More
Goldfinger.
New York, NY: Macmillan Publishing Co. [Book Club], no date [circa 1970]. [James Bond] US BOOK CLUB EDITION. Octavo (22 x 15cm), pp.x; 214. Publisher's grey paper-covered boards with blue titles to spine. With the pictorial blue dust-jacket. Whole lower edge of book tinted purple (other copies are similarly noted..... More
Goldfinger.
New York: Macmillan [Printed and bound in Great Britain], 1959. [Spy thriller] FIRST US EDITION. Octavo (20 x 13cm), pp.318. Publisher's black cloth-effect paper over boards with 'skull' design stamped to upper, in original pictorial dust-wrapper designed by Richard Chopping, price-clipped to both corners. No inscriptions, a few brown marks..... More
Goldfinger. UK Film tie-in editions [3 copies].
London & New York: Pan Books, Signet Books, Penguin Books, 1964, [1964], 2004. [Spy thrillers] Three differing versions of Ian Fleming's novel, film tie-in editions for the 1964 United Artists movie. Slim octavo softcovers; Pan X series priced at 3/6, Signet D series priced at 50c, and Penguin Modern Classics..... More
Goldfinger. With an introduction by Robert Green.
USA: Flagstick books/Ailsa Inc., n.d. [circa 2000]. [Spy novel] FLAGSTICK BOOKS EDITION, first thus. Octavo (20 x 13cm), pp.[viii] 318; [4], blank. Publisher's pale green cloth blocked in black and white, patterned green endpapers, embroidered head and tail bands. No jacket was issued. A near fine copy, with some usual..... More
Group of 'Bond Re-jacketed' paperback series. Comprising: Casino Royale, Live and Let Die, Moonraker, From Russia With Love, Goldfinger, For Your Eyes Only (short stories inc. From A View To A Kill, Quantum of Solace), and Octopussy & The Living Daylights.
London: Penguin Books, 2006. [Spy Fiction] 7 volumes, octavo (18 x 11cm). Publisher's softcovers. With retro cover designs by Roseanne Serra and Richie Fahey. Mixed printings. Reissued in 2006 with new artwork and introductions. Mostly fine, with light handling only. See Gilbert, Jon. Ian Fleming The Bibliography. More
Group of Berkley series uniform James Bond paperbacks. Comprising: Live and let Die, Diamonds Are Forever, Doctor No, Goldfinger, The Spy Who Loved Me.
USA: Berkley Books, 1982-90. [Spy Fiction] Five volumes, octavo (19 x 13cm). Publisher's softcovers. With silhouette cover designs. Mixed printings. Contents clean, no inscriptions. Two with publisher's punched hole to cover, reading creases to 'Diamonds' else near fine. See Gilbert, Jon. Ian Fleming The Bibliography. More
Group of Penguin 007 'Bond Re-jacketed' series (Centenary versions): Live and Let Die; Diamonds Are Forever; Goldfinger; For Your Eyes Only; Thunderball; The Spy Who loved Me; On Her Majesty's Secret Service; You Only Live Twice, Quantum of Solace.
Penguin Books USA, 2002. [James Bond] Nine volumes. Octavo (18 x 11cm). Publisher's soft covers designed by Roseanne Serra and Richie Fahey, priced at $14.00 each Some with Borders price label to rear). Various printings. Although dated 2002 on the copyright page, this group were all issued in 2008 with..... More
'The Guns of James Bond' contained within 'Sports Illustrated' Magazine Vol 16, No.11, 19th March 1962.
Chicago, Illinois: Time Inc., 1962. [James Bond Reference] FIRST US APPEARANCE. pp.84. Original price 25 cents. Magazine format, illustrated. Housed in an elegant custom-made gilt-titled black buckram chemise case. This issue contains the first American appearance of this original Ian Fleming feature entitled 'The Guns of James Bond', which not..... More
'The Guns of James Bond' contained within 'Sports Illustrated' Magazine Vol 16, No.11, 19th March 1962.
Chicago, Illinois: Time Inc., 1962. [James Bond Reference] FIRST US APPEARANCE. pp.84. Original price 25 cents. Magazine format, illustrated. Contains the first American appearance of this original Ian Fleming feature entitled 'The Guns of James Bond', which not published in book-form until 2008. Scarce thus. Postal label to upper, minor..... More
'The Guns of James Bond' contained within 'Sports Illustrated' Magazine Vol 16, No.11, 19th March 1962.
Chicago, Illinois: Time Inc., 1962. [James Bond Reference] FIRST US APPEARANCE. pp.84. Original price 25 cents. Magazine format, illustrated. Contains the first American appearance of this original Ian Fleming feature entitled 'The Guns of James Bond', which not published in book-form until 2008. Scarce thus. Postal label to upper, minor..... More
'The Hildebrand Rarity' contained within 'Playboy' Collectors Edition, Vol 36, No.1, January 1989.
Chicago: Playboy Building, 1989. [Men's Magazine] 35th Anniversary Edition. Magazine format (28 x 21cm), pp.350. The story appears on pp.126–8, 321-4, being an exact reprint of the original serail publication in this magazine. Publisher's colour-illustrated paper covers, priced at $5.00 Fine throughout. Bibliographer Jon Gilbert's copy, with pencil signature within..... More