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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
SeaFire.
London: Hodder and Stoughton, 1994. An original novel starring Ian Fleming's James Bond. FIRST EDITION. Octavo (16 x 24cm), pp.247. Publisher's black cloth in pictorial dust-wrapper. A lightly handled copy in near fine condition. BMC No.1 [1984] p.4-13 'James Bond Revivals'. Hubin; Crime Fiction IV. More
Trigger Mortis.
London: Orion, 2015. [Spy novel] SIGNED FIRST EDITION, Waterstones version. The latest James Bond novel, incorporating an original story/idea 'Murder On Wheels' by Ian Fleming. Octavo (24 x 16cm), pp.329; [1], advertisement. Publisher's black cloth hardcovers with large skull motif blocked to upper in silver, with black and orange-coloured dust-jacket..... More
Trigger Mortis.
London: Orion, 2015. [Spy novel] SIGNED FIRST EDITION. The latest James Bond novel, incorporating an original story/idea 'Murder On Wheels' by Ian Fleming. Octavo (24 x 16cm), pp.310; [1], advertisement; [3], blank. Publisher's black cloth with large skull motif blocked to upper in silver, blueprint-style endpapers, metallic-effect dust-jacket. A lovely..... More
Colonel Sun.
London: Jonathan Cape, 1968. FIRST EDITION. Octavo (19 x 14cm), pp.255; [1]. Publisher's hardback cloth, cartographic endpapers, in pictorial dust-wrapper priced at 21s. Wraparound art by Tom Adams. Near fine, in slightly rubbed and soiled jacket. The first post- Ian Fleming James Bond novel, written under a pseudonym by Kingsley..... More
Colonel Sun. A James Bond Adventure by Robert Markham.
London: Pan Books Ltd., 1970. [Spy novel] The FIRST Pan paperback edition. 'M' Series. Octavo (18 x 11cm), pp.221; [3], advertisements. Publisher's illustrated softcovers priced at 5 shillings (25 pence). Some gentle age-toning to paper stock and trivial wear to covers; a particularly sharp copy of the striking softcover version..... More
The Life of Ian Fleming. Creator of James Bond.
London: Jonathan Cape, 1966. [Literary biography] FIRST EDITION. Octavo (25 x 16cm), pp.352, with sixteen pages of photographic plates. Attractively bound in black half calf over cloth sides blocked with 'Golden Eye' motif, top edge gilt. Contents clean, a few light marks to covers; near fine. John Pearson began his..... More
007 James Bond. The Authorized Biography.
London: Sidgwick and Jackson, 1973. [Fictional biography] FIRST EDITION. Large octavo (22 x 14cm), pp.317. Bound in black half calf with twin red morocco title labels lettered in gilt, raised bands, matching cloth sides. Strong red colour to topstain; a clean copy inside and out. Fine, in an attractive recent..... More
The Life of Ian Fleming. Creator of James Bond.
London: Jonathan Cape, 1966. [Literary Biography] FIRST EDITION. Octavo (25 x 16cm), pp.352, with pp.16 of photographic plates. Publisher's black cloth with 'golden eye' motif to the upper cover, red top-stain, pictorial dust-wrapper. Edges toned/thumbed, Christmas gift label to flyleaf, jacket worn at spine ends and corners. A very good..... More
Ian Fleming 28th May 1908 - 12th August 1964. An Address Given at the Memorial Service.
Westerham Press, Privately Printed 1964. Slim octavo. Black card wraps, with black dust-wrapper, printed title label to upper. An immaculate copy of the book in fine original semi-transparent paper jacket, a touch frayed to rear. The book-form printing of the address given at Fleming's memorial, 15th September 1964, was also..... More
Zur Chirurgie des Herzens und des Herzbeutels, in 'Archiv fur Klinische Chirurgie'.
Berlin: Verlag von August Hirshwald 1907. Pp.904. Original printed wrappers. Prof. Dr. Rehn's treatise appears on pp.723-778. A fine copy, in a folding protective case with gilt-titled orange leather label to spine and gilt crest to upper (some wear to box). This is an account of the first successful suture..... More
Ian Fleming: The Book Collector.
London: The Book Collector / Queen Anne Press, 2017. Ten monographs, SIGNED LETTERPRESS EDITIONS, being the FIRST SEPARATE PRINTING. 10 vols., slim octavo (26 x 18cm), limited variously to 60 or 120 copies, each hand-numbered and signed by James and Fergus Fleming. Finely printed on 150gsm Bockingford paper and bound..... More
The James Bond Dossier.
London: Jonathan Cape, 1965. [Reference critique] FIRST EDITION. Octavo (24 x 16cm), pp.159; [1]. Publisher's black cloth-effect paper over boards with gilt titles to spine in pictorial dust-wrapper, based on the familiar 'trompe l'oeil' designs which decorated the Ian Fleming first editions. Priced at 16s. to flap. A beautiful fine..... More
The James Bond Dossier. Pre-publication Publicity File
London: To be Published by Jonathan Cape at 16s. on May 27th, no date [1965]. [James Bond] The complete pack, comprising a colour promotional poster for the book designed by Jan Pienkowski (52cm x 76cm), an 'Obituary of Commander James Bond' (35cm x 52cm), a cross-section and information regarding the..... More
![Diamonds Are Forever. Press Book [Exhibitor's Campaign Book]. Ian FLEMING](/pictures/thumb/54621.jpg?v=1567527115)
Diamonds Are Forever. Press Book [Exhibitor's Campaign Book].
United Artists. Printed In USA, 1971. [Promotional material] ONLY PRINTING. Large-format/small poster sized 12-page stapled booklet providing cast and credits, editorial comment, plus advertising and promotional lists for soundtracks, book sales, toiletries, etc. No cuts or folds, minor handling; fine. More
![You Only Live Twice. Press Book [Exhibitor's Campaign Book]. Ian FLEMING](/pictures/thumb/51074.jpg?v=1563378726)
You Only Live Twice. Press Book [Exhibitor's Campaign Book].
United Artists. Printed In USA, 1967. [Promotional material] ONLY PRINTING. Large-format/small poster sized 12-page stapled booklet providing cast and credits, editorial comment, plus advertising and promotional lists for soundtracks, book sales, toiletries, etc. One cut-out to p.4, folded once, minor wear to spine fold. Very good. More
Post. The Saturday Evening Post.
Philadelphia: C.L.MacNelly, 1963. Includes 'The Spectacular Cult of Ian Fleming' by Geoffrey Bocca. Issue of 22nd June 1963. Magazine format illustrated throughout, in colour covers. Some soiling, covers rubbed with a few tears, subscription label to upper cover, some sunning. Very good. An interesting profile of the author published during..... More
For Your Eyes Only: Ian Fleming and James Bond.
London: Bloomsbury, 2008. FIRST EDITION. Illustrated Quarto (25 x 20cm), pp.224. Silk-screen pictorial hardcover, illustrated dust-wrapper priced at £20. Book appears unread, jacket lightly handled only. A fine copy. A superb reference book from journalist Ben Macintyre, covering both the literary and screen James Bond. The volume was originally conceived..... More
contribute to...'ELLERY QUEEN'S MYSTERY MAGAZINE'
Holyoake, MA: Davis Publications, September 1969. [James Bond] Original issue magazine format (20 x 14cm), pp.162, with colour covers. Some expected toning to cheap paper but altogether a crisp, near fine copy. This issue contains the James Bond short story 'The Property of a Lady' plus mysteries by Anthony Gilbert..... More
Double O Seven. James Bond. A Report.
London: Neville Spearman, Holland Press, 1964. [Reference/ Literary criticism] FIRST EDITION. Octavo (22 x 15cm), pp.160. Publisher's black cloth hardcovers in Richard Chopping-style dust-wrapper, priced at 18s. Discreet Foyle's label beneath flap, jacket lightly rubbed only with one small nick to spine. Near fine. The very first book-length critique on..... More