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
Ian Fleming's James Bond novels: the complete paperback film tie-in editions. Dr. No; From Russia With Love; Goldfinger; Thunderball; Casino Royale; You Only Live Twice; On Her Majesty's Secret Service; Diamonds Are Forever; Live and Let Die; The Man with the Golden Gun; For Your Eyes Only; Octopussy, The Living Daylights.
London: Pan Books, [and] Triad / Granada, [and] Coronet. 1963-1992. [James Bond Novels] COMPLETE FILM TIE-IN SERIES in the standard paperback format. 13 volumes. Octavo (19 x 11 x 19cm), each in the publisher's soft covers printed with a design celebrating the recent filming of the title. Some browning/toning to..... More
'Jamaica. Hostess with the Mostes' within 'Vogue' magazine.
New York: Conde Nast Publications, Inc. April 1st 1951. [Travel / leisure] FIRST APPEARANCE of this original article by Ian Fleming. Pp.186. Magazine format, fully illustrated. Original price 50c. Some light wear, with a few small chips to covers. Very good. Featuring a six-page article on Jamaica, illustrated with photographs..... More
A James Bond Quartet. Containing: Casino Royale, Live and Let Die, Moonraker, From Russia with Love.
London: Jonathan Cape Ltd., 1992. [Spy thrillers] FIRST EDITIONS thus. An omnibus volume. Octavo (23 x 15cm), pp.768. Library binding in burgundy vinyl covers, top edge coloured yellow, original dust-jacket priced £15.99. Likely the publisher's library binding with their monogram imprint to spine. Scarce thus. Ex-library copy with expected institutional..... More
'L'Uomo Dalla Pistola D'Oro Cascata di Diamanti' [The Man With The Golden Gun] contained within 'Domenica Del Corriere' [Sunday Courier], 18 April 1965.
Milan, Italy, 1965. [News magazine] Pp.64. Magazine format, stapled. Fully illustrated, with some in colour. Original price 80 Lira. Minor handling and edge wear; near fine. A serialised appearance of Ian Fleming's James Bond novel The Man With The Golden Gun, in an Italian newspaper. This episode, appearing on pp.47-8..... More
Live and Let Die (a James Bond novel).
London: Jonathan Cape, 1954. FIRST EDITION, FIRST ISSUE. Octavo (20 x 14cm), pp.240. Publisher's black cloth-effect paper over boards, embossed in gilt, with purple dust-wrapper showing the original price of 10/6 to both flaps. With 'author's skill' text correctly spaced to rear panel, as described in the bibliography, page 61..... More
Live and Let Die (a James Bond novel).
London: Queen Anne Press, in association with Adrian Harrington, [2022]. [Spy thriller] CLASSIC READERS EDITION. Octavo (22 x 14cm), pp.280. Publisher's indigo blue hardcovers stamped in gilt, decorated with author's initials in gilt to cover, plain black endpapers. Absolutely fine/as new. One of a selection of titles by Ian Fleming..... More
Live and Let Die (a James Bond novel).
London: Jonathan Cape, 1975. [Spy thriller] Fourteenth Impression. Octavo (20 x 14cm), pp.240. Publisher's black cloth-effect paper over boards, blocked in gilt, with purple dust-wrapper showing the price of £2.95. No inscriptions, contents clean, edges slightly toned, gilt remains bright and fresh (often tarnished), jacket is quite fresh, with light..... More
Live and Let Die.
New York, NY: The Macmillan Company, 1955. [Thriller] FIRST US EDITION. Octavo (18 x 13cm), pp.216. Bound in original blue cloth lettered in yellow to the backstrip, upper cover blocked with 'Cock Robin Thriller' device, in the pictorial dust-wrapper designed by Leo Manso, priced at $3.00 with other prices clipped..... More
Live and Let Die.
London: Jonathan Cape, 1954. [Thriller] FIRST EDITION, Second Impression. Octavo (19 x 13cm), pp.240; [2], blank. Original black cloth-effect paper over boards with gilt-embossed coin motif to upper cover, lettered in gilt to the spine. Disbound sheets, in the original case. Some spotting and toning, gilt to covers has oxidised..... More
Live and Let Die.
London: Pan Books, 1957. [Thriller] PAN PAPERBACK EDITION, second printing. 'Great Pan' series GP83. Pp.247. Publisher's illustrated softcovers with original price 2/6 to upper panel. Some light wear, joints rubbed; near fine. Gilbert A2a (23). More
Live and Let Die.
London: Jonathan Cape, 1954. [Thriller] FIRST EDITION, Second Impression. Octavo (19 x 13cm), pp.240; [2], blank. Original black cloth-effect paper over boards with gilt-embossed coin motif to upper cover, lettered in gilt to the spine. No inscriptions, contents clean and fresh, very slight toning to page edges, gilt a touch..... More
Live and Let Die.
London: Jonathan Cape, 1956. [Thriller] FIRST EDITION, Third Impression, Jacket B. Octavo (19 x 13cm), pp.240. Original black cloth-effect paper over boards with gilt-embossed coin motif to upper cover, lettered in gilt to the spine, correct dust-wrapper priced twice at 10/6. This is the correct jacket for this impression (one..... More
Live and Let Die.
London: Jonathan Cape, 1966. [Espionage novel] Vintage hardcover reprint. Octavo (19 x 13cm), pp.240. 'Askew' style library binding with glazed boards. Eleventh printing. Ex-library copy with expected institutional markings, declassification stamp, remnants of loans label to f.e.p. All text leaves present although lacking rear endpaper. Binding frayed at crown. A...... More
Live and Let Die.
London: Jonathan Cape, 1954. [Thriller] FIRST EDITION, Second Impression, bibliographer's copy. Octavo (19 x 13cm), pp.240; [2], blank. Original black cloth-effect paper over boards with gilt-embossed coin motif to upper cover, lettered in gilt to the spine. A working copy; disbound sheets (loose) in the cloth case. Text is complete..... More
Live and Let Die.
London: Jonathan Cape, 1958. [Thriller] REISSUE (fourth printing overall), bibliographer's copy. Octavo (19 x 13cm), pp.240; [2], blank. This example exported for sale in Australia (Sydney bookseller's stamp to pastedown). Original black cloth-effect paper over boards with gilt-embossed coin motif to upper cover, lettered in gilt to the spine. A...... More
Live and Let Die.
London: Jonathan Cape, 1959. [Thriller] Sixth printing, bibliographer's copy. Octavo (19 x 13cm), pp.240; [2], blank. Original black cloth-effect paper over boards with gilt-embossed coin motif to upper cover, lettered in gilt to the spine. Gilt dulled as usual else a fine copy, provided with a later plain brown paper..... More
Live and Let Die.
New York, NY: The Macmillan Company, 1955. [Thriller] FIRST US EDITION, bibliographer's copy. Octavo (18 x 13cm), pp.216. Bound in original blue cloth lettered in yellow to the backstrip, upper cover blocked with 'Cock Robin Thriller' device. A working copy with associated handling and use, some copy editing, offset browning..... More
Live and Let Die.
London: Jonathan Cape, 1956. [James Bond short stories] FIRST EDITION, third impression, bibliographer's copy. Octavo (19 x 13cm), pp.248. Library binding, with patterned blue cloth covers. Although title page is lacking, the half title only lists three books confirming this to be a third print. Inside joints are linen, contents..... More
Live and Let Die.
New York, NY: The Macmillan Company, [1966]. [Spy novel] SECOND U.S. EDITION. Octavo (22 x 14cm), pp.215; [1], blank. Publisher's black vinyl-style cloth-covered boards, lettered in gilt to the spine, in pictorial dust-jacket illustrated by Jerome Kuhl, priced at $3.95. Minor soiling to flap else a fine, fresh copy. A...... More
Live and Let Die.
New York, NY: The Macmillan Company, [1966]. [Spy novel] SECOND U.S. EDITION. Octavo (22 x 14cm), pp.215; [1], blank. Publisher's black vinyl-style cloth-covered boards, lettered in gilt to the spine, in pictorial dust-jacket illustrated by Jerome Kuhl, priced at $3.95. A used, ex-library copy with expected stamps, library pocket at..... More
Live and Let Die.
New York: Permabooks, 1956. [Spy novel] FIRST AMERICAN SOFTCOVER EDITION. Octavo (15 x 10cm), pp.181; [3], advertisements. Series No. M-3084. Publisher's illustrated card covers, all edges tinted red, with printed price 25 cents. Contents clean, faint inscription to title, some wear to spine, small chip to crown, 1cm split at..... More
Live and Let Die.
London: Jonathan Cape, 1956. [Thriller] FIRST EDITION, Third Impression, Jacket B. Octavo (19 x 13cm), pp.240. Original black cloth-effect paper over boards with gilt-embossed coin motif to upper cover, lettered in gilt to the spine, correct dust-wrapper priced at 10/6 to front and rear. This is the correct jacket for..... More
Live and Let Die. Centenary Edition.
London: Penguin 007, 2008. [Spy novel] Octavo (23 x 15cm), pp.[vi]; 272; [2], blank; [10] adverts. Bound in original silver-stamped black cloth in striking dust-jacket with 'retro' style artwork by Michael Gillette. Second impression of the Centenary edition. Fine/ as new. The bibliographer's copy, with his pencilled note and ownership..... More
[Live and Let Die] Contained within 'Bluebook' magazine, Vol. 99, No.1.
McCall Corporation, May 1954. FIRST US APPEARANCE. Scarce American abridged publication of the second James Bond novel, appearing here nearly a whole year before the American book-form edition, and just one month after the UK Cape edition. This story can be found on pp88-128, printed in double columns. There are..... More
[Live and Let Die] James Bond 007 Tarot Game.
New York: US Games Systems, [1973]. An authentic 78-card full colour Tarot fortune-telling deck with fully illustrated instruction book and illustrated spreadsheet for performing ancient 10-card readings. Inspired by the gifted mind-reader 'Solitaire' and sequences in the 1973 film 'Live and Let Die'. Housed in a pictorial card box. A...... More