"Hungry man, reach for the book: it is a weapon. "
— Bertolt Brecht
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
On Her Majesty's Secret Service.
London: Jonathan Cape, 1963. [Spy novel] FIRST EDITION, Binding A. Octavo (19 x 13cm), pp.288. Publisher's dark grey cloth-effect paper over boards with silver titles to spine, in original jacket designed by Richard Chopping, priced at 16s. No inscriptions. A moderately used copy with some small nicks and rubs and..... More
On Her Majesty's Secret Service.
London: Jonathan Cape, 1963. [Spy novel] FIRST EDITION, Binding A. Octavo (19 x 13cm), pp.288. Publisher's dark grey cloth-effect paper over boards with silver titles to spine, in original jacket designed by Richard Chopping. No inscriptions. A moderately used copy with some spotting to endpapers, boards mottled, jacket with some..... More
'The Perplexing Date Line' contained within 'Holiday' magazine. Vol 28, No.5, November 1960
Philadelphia, PA: Curtis Publishing Co. 1960. pp.226 Price 60 cents. Magazine format, colour illustrated covers. Some creasing/edgewear. Very good. Contains the first appearance of this Ian Fleming article, being the original full-length essay; it was cut and re-named 'Honolulu' when published as the fourth chapter of 'Thrilling Cities' (November 1963)..... More
![The Property of a Lady (a James Bond story) [THE IVORY HAMMER]. Ian Lancaster FLEMING](/pictures/thumb/60258.jpg?v=1626255723)
The Property of a Lady (a James Bond story) [THE IVORY HAMMER].
London, Longmans and Co. 1963. [James Bond] First printing. Quarto. Publisher's red cloth in jacket. Contains the first appearance of the James Bond story 'The Property of a Lady', by Ian Fleming. This did then not appear in book form until it was included in the first paperback edition of..... More
Quantum of Solace. The Complete James Bond Short Stories.
London: Penguin 007, 2008. [Spy fiction] FIRST EDITION. Octavo (18 x 14cm), pp.301, with an introduction by the respected Bond authority Henry Chancellor. In the prize-winning binding of silver-grey cloth with a silenced Walther PPK motif to upper, burgundy endpapers. Complete with the wraparound sleeve, which is gummed together at..... More
Showcase presents Doctor No.
Sparta, IL: DC Comics, National Periodical Publications, Inc., March-April 1963. [Comic book] Published as issue 43 of the Showcase anthology series by DC Comics, with artwork by Norman Nodel. The front inside cover shows five stills from the United Artists film adaptation, and the rear inside cover prints a biography..... More
The Spy Who Loved Me.
London: Jonathan Cape, 1962. [Espionage novel] FIRST EDITION, State A. Crown Octavo (21 x 13cm), pp.221. Publisher's cloth-effect paper over boards with scarlet endpapers in pictorial dust-jacket illustrated by Richard Chopping, priced at 15s. SIGNED in black ink to half title by Roger Moore, and initialled opposite by my respected..... More
The Spy Who Loved Me.
London: Jonathan Cape, 1962. [Spy thriller] FIRST EDITION, State B. Crown Octavo (21 x 13cm), pp.221; [1]. Publisher's cloth-effect paper over boards with scarlet endpapers in pictorial dust-jacket illustrated by Richard Chopping, priced a 15s. Scarce VARIANT ISSUE with the dropped spacer within the author's name. From the bibliography, 'very..... More
The Spy Who Loved Me.
London: Queen Anne Press, in association with Adrian Harrington, [2022]. [Spy thriller] CLASSIC READERS EDITION. Octavo (22 x 14cm), pp.196. Publisher's flame red hardcovers stamped in gilt, decorated with author's initials in gilt to cover, plain black endpapers. New book. Strictly limited to one copy per customer. One of a...... More
The Spy Who Loved Me.
London: Jonathan Cape, 1962. [Espionage novel] FIRST EDITION, State A. Crown Octavo (21 x 13cm), pp.221. Publisher's cloth-effect paper over boards with scarlet endpapers in pictorial dust-jacket illustrated by Richard Chopping. A lightly handled copy in a bright, clean, price-clipped wrapper. Near fine. The tenth book in the James Bond..... More
Thrilling Cities.
London: Jonathan Cape, 1963. [Travel / Adventure] FIRST EDITION in the first state dust-jacket (laminated rear flap). Large octavo (23 x 16cm), pp.223; [1] blank, erratum slip tipped-in at p.223. Illustrated with photographic plates. Publisher's quarter white cloth over patterned grey boards, black topstain and endpapers, pictorial wrapper by Paul..... More
Thunderball.
London: Queen Anne Press, in association with Adrian Harrington, [2022]. [Spy thriller] CLASSIC READERS EDITION. Octavo (22 x 14cm), pp.320. Publisher's Royal blue hardcovers stamped in gilt, decorated with author's initials in gilt to cover, plain black endpapers. New book. Strictly limited to one copy per customer. One of a...... More
Thunderball.
London: Jonathan Cape, 1961. [Spy thriller] FIRST EDITION, Binding 'A'. Octavo (19 x 13cm), pp.254. Publisher's cloth-effect paper over boards with embossed skeleton hand design to upper board, gilt titles to spine. In dust-wrapper illustrated by Richard Chopping priced at 15s. A fine copy in a clean, bright jacket with..... More
Thunderball.
London: Pan Books, 1964. [Spy thriller] Promotional Copy for Player's Cigarettes, with 'Domino' letter insert. Slim octavo, pp.234; [2], blank; [4], advertisements. Pictorial card wrappers with wrap-around movie artwork; this is the correct (fourteenth) printing used for this promotion which includes a printed notepaper 'handwritten' by Domino to James Bond..... More
Too Hot to Handle (Moonraker).
New York, NY: Perma Books, 1957. FIRST PRINTING. Paperback (17 x 11cm), pp.125; [1] advertisement. Publisher's illustrated card covers, all edges tinted red. Some very light rubbing and a couple of creases to corners otherwise a clean bright copy of a fragile book, housed in a custom-made gilt-titled cloth chemise..... More
'Where Shall John Go? -Jamaica' contained within 'Horizon' Magazine. Edited by Cyril Connolly Vol.16, No.96, December 1947.
London: Horizon, 2 Lansdowne Terrace, London WC1. Printed at the Curwen Press. 1947. Price 2s 6d. Magazine format, printed covers. Contains the first appearance of Fleming's article on Jamaica, issued as the thirteenth part of a travel series run by Horizon, which was later expanded and collected in book-form as..... More
You Only Live Twice.
New York, NY: MJF Books, 1995. [James Bond novel] Octavo (21 x 14cm), pp.256. Publisher's hardback in illustrated dust-wrapper. Trival sunning otherwise a fine copy. A quality hardcover reissue. Gilbert A12b(10), p.409. More
You Only Live Twice.
London: Jonathan Cape, 1964. [Spy novel] FIRST EDITION, First State, Binding A. SIGNED BY THE AUTHOR. 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..... More
You Only Live Twice. In 'Playboy' Magazine. April-June 1964.
Chicago: HMH Publishing Co., Inc., Playboy Building, 232 East Ohio Street, 1964. [Spy novel serialisation] Original Price 75 cents per issue; 3 issues. Magazine format, illustrated. Housed in a protective gilt-titled black buckram case. Overall size 30 x 23cm. Contents clean. Some expected handling, small chip to cover of first..... More
Casino Royale.
London: Jonathan Cape, 1957. [Spy Thriller] Fourth printing [New 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, pictorial green 'playing card' dust-wrapper illustrated by Pat Marriott (uncredited on this impression), priced at 13/6 (many are price..... More
The BLOFELD Trilogy: Thunderball, On Her Majesty's Secret Service and You Only Live Twice.
London: Penguin Classics, 2009. [James Bond saga] FIRST EDITION, first printing. Octavo (20 x 13cm), pp.597. With an Introduction by Nicholas Lezard, literary critic for The Guardian. Publisher's illustrated softcovers, priced at £14.99. A brand new, unused copy. Only 5000 copies were published. Precedes the American equivalent by nearly one..... More
The Centenary Edition of Ian Fleming's James Bond Novels. [Casino Royale; Live and Let Die; Moonraker; Diamonds Are Forever; From Russia With Love; Dr. No; Goldfinger; For Your Eyes Only; Thunderball; The Spy Who loved Me; On Her Majesties Secret Service; You Only Live Twice; The Man with the Golden Gun; Octopussy and The Living Daylights].
London: Penguin 007, 2008. [Spy novels] All FIRST IMPRESSIONS. Fourteen volumes, octavo (23 x 15 x 42cm). Bound in original silver-stamped black cloth in striking dust-jackets with 'retro' style artwork by Michael Gillette. A fine set, housed in a custom-made cloth slipcase with fleece lining and ribbon pulls. A particularly..... More
The Diamond Smugglers. With an Introduction by 'John Blaize' formerly of the International Diamond Security Organization.
New York: The Macmillan Company, 1958. [True crime] FIRST AMERICAN EDITION. Octavo (21 x 14cm), pp.160. Illustrated with photos and drawings. With errors as listed by Gilbert. Publisher's light blue cloth with titles in white to the spine, with four white circles representing diamonds stamped to upper. Black pictorial dust-wrapper..... More
Dr. No.
London: Pan Books Ltd. 1960. The first Pan paperback edition. 'Great Pan' series G335. Pp.189 + 3 (adverts). Publisher's illustrated softcovers with original price 2/6 to upper panel. Pages tanned as usual, some spine roll from reading, minor wear. A very good copy, provided with a protective clear plastic jacket..... 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, priced at $3.00 (with lower price $2.95 clipped off, as..... More