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
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 clean copy of the book but for some tape ghosts to the pastedown where the jacket was secured..... More
The Spy Who Loved Me.
London: Jonathan Cape, 1963. [Spy thriller] FIFth impression. Crown Octavo (21 x 13cm), pp.221. Publisher's cloth-effect paper over boards with scarlet endpapers, commando knife blocked in silver foil to upper. Slightly dusty. A little soiling to top margin, pp.137-9 else a near fine copy without wrapper. The tenth book in..... 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. A lightly handled copy in fine condition, housed in a bespoke black cloth clamshell to a...... More
The Spy Who Loved Me.
London: Jonathan Cape, 1963. [Spy thriller] FIFth impression. Crown Octavo (21 x 13cm), pp.221. Publisher's cloth-effect paper over boards with scarlet endpapers, commando knife blocked in silver foil to upper, illustrated dust-wrapper by Richard Chopping. A near fine copy in similar, price-clipped wrapper with slight toning to spine. The tenth..... 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
Thrilling Cities. With an Introduction by Jan Morris.
London: Ian Fleming Publications Limited, 2009. [Travel book] FIRST EDITION thus, with a new introduction from the respected travel writer Jan Morris, CBE. Octavo (21 x 14cm), pp.246. Publisher's green cloth hardcovers titled in silver to spine, grey endpapers, pictorial dust-wrapper. TRIAL WRAPPER in final PROOF STATE, as described in..... 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: 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
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. Slightly dusty, trivial edgewear. A near fine copy in..... 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. A near fine copy in similar wrapper with one area of browning..... 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
Works of Ian Fleming. Classic Readers Edition. Comprising Casino Royale, Live and Let Die, Moonraker, Diamonds Are Forever, From Russia With Love, 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), The Diamond Smugglers and Chitty Chitty Bang Bang.
London: Queen Anne Press, in association with Adrian Harrington, [2022]. 15 volumes, octavo (22 x 14 x 15cm). Publisher's hardcovers stamped in gilt, decorated with author's initials in gilt to to cover, plain black endpapers. This series comprises fifteen selected titles, uniformly cased in harlequin colours, being remaining sheets from..... 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.
London: Foyles [The Book Club], no date [1965]. [Spy thriller] FIRST BOOK CLUB EDITION. Octavo (19 x 13cm), pp.184. Publisher's mid-blue cloth lettered in black to the spine, in pictorial dust-wrapper illustrated by Cuthill. A lightly handled copy in near fine condition. 70,000 copies were printed, a lower number than..... 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). A clean, fine copy of the..... More
Casino Royale.
London: Jonathan Cape. March 1965. [Spy Thriller] Vintage hardcover. Octavo (20 x 13cm), pp.218; [2], blank. Ninth printing. Publisher's black cloth-effect paper over boards with red titles and 'Heart' design to front cover, 'playing card' jacket designed by Pat Marriott. A clean, fine copy in price-clipped jacket. Outstanding. Gilbert A1a(9)..... More
Casino Royale.
London: Jonathan Cape. 1953. INSCRIBED FIRST EDITION, in first issue dust-jacket without the overprinted reviews. Octavo (20 x 13cm), pp.218; [2], blank. Publisher's cloth in pictorial jacket illustrated by Kenneth Lewis. Ian Fleming's presentation inscription, with thanks for publication, appears on the flyleaf; "To / The power behind / the..... More
The Diamond Smugglers. With an Introduction by 'John Blaize' formerly of the International Diamond Security Organization.
New York, NY: The Macmillan Company, 1958. [True crime] FIRST AMERICAN EDITION. Octavo (21 x 14cm), pp.160. Illustrated with photos and drawings. With errors corresponding to 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
Dr. No. (a James Bond novel)
New York, NY: The Macmillan Company, 1958. [Thriller] FIRST U.S. EDITION. Octavo (21 x 14), pp.256. Publisher's black cloth lettered in red, with pictorial dust wrapper designed by Hoffman. Flap shows the correct price $3.50, although other prices are clipped from corners as usual. Owner's ink notes to flyleaf "1958..... More
Gilt-Edged Bonds. With an Introduction by Paul Gallico.
New York, NY: Macmillan, 1961. [Thrillers] An omnibus edition comprising Casino Royale, From Russia, With Love and Doctor No. Large octavo (22 x 15cm), pp.256; [2], blank. Stated 'First Edition', with the depression mark to the rear board denoting the Book Club issue (as the vast majority seem to be)..... 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