"Always read something that will make you look good if you die in the middle of it."
— P.J. O'Rourke
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
Zero Minus Ten (a James Bond novel).
London: Hodder and Stoughton. 1997. FIRST EDITION, SIGNED by the author. Royal octavo, pp.x; 257; [3], blank. Publisher's hardcover in original dust-wrapper. A used example with some shelfwear and a reading lean, text block toned, endpapers neatly replaced, jacket a little creased and handled. The author's first James Bond novel... More about Zero Minus Ten (a James Bond novel
Live and Let Die (Released Through United Artists). Souvenir Programme / Brochure.
London: Sackville Publishing, [1973]. [Film memorabilia] ORIGINAL BROCHURE. Octavo (27 x 20cm), unpaginated, stapled at spine. Text with accompanying photographs throughout. Colour printed with soft card covers featuring the movie artwork by Robert McGinnis. A few minor marks; near fine condition. A vintage cinema brochure promoting the 1973 James Bond... More about Live and Let Die (Released Through United Artists). Souvenir Programme / Brochure
"Live and Let Die" (Released through United Artists)
England 1973. ORIGINAL SHOOTING SCRIPT WITH FINE ASSOCIATION. A complete production-used script by Tom Mankiewicz and directed by Guy Hamilton, Eon Productions Ltd, October 2nd 1972. 120pp mimeographed typescript, orig embossed green covers, copy of Victor Joseph Heutschy (died 2011) film and TV publicist with his name in ballpoint at... More about "Live and Let Die" (Released through United Artists
The Man With The Golden Typewriter. Ian Fleming's James Bond Letters.
London: Bloomsbury, 2015. [Letters] Edited by Fergus Fleming. SIGNED. Octavo (25 x 16cm), pp.391; [1]. Black hardcovers blocked in gilt, pictorial dust-jacket priced at £25. With black and white photographs. Third impression, autographed by Fergus Fleming in ink to the title page. Signature obtained in person for Adrian Harrington Ltd... More about The Man With The Golden Typewriter. Ian Fleming's James Bond Letters
The Man With The Golden Typewriter. Ian Fleming's James Bond Letters.
London: Bloomsbury, 2015. [Letters] Edited by Fergus Fleming. SIGNED FIRST EDITION. Octavo (25 x 16cm), pp.391; [1]. Black hardcovers blocked in gilt, pictorial dust-jacket priced at £25. With black and white photographs. Autographed by Fergus Fleming in ink to the title page. Signature obtained in person for Adrian Harrington Ltd... More about The Man With The Golden Typewriter. Ian Fleming's James Bond Letters
Shaken. Drinking with James Bond and Ian Fleming.
London: Octopus, 2018. [Mixology] SIGNED FIRST EDITION. Octavo (22 x 16cm). Black hardcovers blocked in gilt. No jacket as issued. With photographs throughout. Introduction by Fergus Fleming who has added his autograph in ink to the title page. A fine, unused copy (as new). Inspired by the writings of James... More about Shaken. Drinking with James Bond and Ian Fleming
Cold.
London: Hodder and Stoughton, 1996. FIRST EDITION. Octavo (24 x 16cm) Pp.213. Publisher's hardback cloth in pictorial dust-wrapper priced at £16.99 (many were unpriced for export). A fine, unread copy. Seemingly printed in small numbers, this is a particularly scarce James Bond title. Published as 'Cold Fall' in America, this... More about Cold
IceBreaker (a James Bond novel).
London: Jonathan Cape and Hodder and Stoughton 1983. FIRST EDITION. 8vo. Publisher's black cloth. Gilt titles to spine. Near fine in a similar price-clipped dustwrapper showing some rubbing to the rear panel. No inscriptions. John Gardner's third 007 novel as official successor to Ian Fleming; 'Icebreaker' sees James Bond posted... More about IceBreaker (a James Bond novel
Icebreaker. A James Bond novel.
London: Jonathan Cape and Hodder and Stoughton 1983. FIRST EDITION. 8vo. Publisher's black cloth. Gilt titles to spine. Fine in fine dust wrapper. SIGNED on flap by the dustwrapper artist Bill Botten, who produced the jacket art for both of Christopher Wood's James Bond novels and the early Gardner Bonds... More about Icebreaker. A James Bond novel
Icebreaker. A James Bond novel.
London: Jonathan Cape and Hodder and Stoughton 1983. FIRST EDITION. Octavo, pp.250. Original black cloth with gilt titles to spine; pictorial dust-wrapper. A clean, near fine copy in jacket. ADVANCE COPY FOR REVIEW, with publisher's printed slip inserted and publication date label to spine. The slip is fine, but for... More about Icebreaker. A James Bond novel
James Bond: Licence to Kill. From the motion picture written by Michael G. Wilson and Richard Maibaum.
The Armchair Detective Library, 1989. 'Collector' issue, in the publisher's de luxe binding of blue cloth with silver trim and pictorial illustration. 'Licence to Kill' is bibliographically complex; the UK-printed trade edition was published in April 1989 (with cancelled title). A 'Collector' edition (blue cloth) and 'Signed Limited' edition (burgundy... More about James Bond: Licence to Kill. From the motion picture written by Michael G. Wilson and Richard...
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James Bond: License [Licence] to Kill. Signed Limited Edition. From the motion picture written by Michael G. Wilson and Richard Maibaum.
The Armchair Detective Library, 1989. Limited issue No. 85, SIGNED BY THE AUTHOR. Bound in the publisher's de luxe binding of plum-coloured cloth with gilt trim and pictorial illustration, in cloth slip-case. 'Licence to Kill' is bibliographically complex; the UK-printed trade edition was published in April 1989 (with cancelled title)... More about James Bond: License [Licence] to Kill. Signed Limited Edition. From the motion picture written by...
Licence Renewed. James Bond 007.
London: Jonathan Cape and Hodder and Stoughton, 1981. FIRST EDITION, SIGNED by the author. Publisher's black cloth in pictorial dust-wrapper with original printed price (£6.50) to the front flap. Light wear only, bumped to top corners else a fine copy. The first James Bond continuation novel from John Gardner. Bond... More about Licence Renewed. James Bond 007
Licence Renewed. James Bond 007.
London: Jonathan Cape and Hodder and Stoughton, 1981. [Spy novel] FIRST EDITION, SIGNED and INSCRIBED by the author. Octavo (20 x 14cm), pp.270; [2], blank. Publisher's black cloth in pictorial dust-wrapper with original printed price (£6.50) to the front flap. With author's presentation note to title page; "To Eugene Spiers... More about Licence Renewed. James Bond 007
Scorpius.
London: Hodder and Stoughton, 1988. [Spy thriller] FIRST EDITION. Royal octavo (24 x 16cm), pp.190; [2], blank. Publisher's cloth in pictorial dust-wrapper priced £10.95 to flap. Fine in like wrapper, but for some faint age-toning to paperstock. Becoming a difficult title. An original novel starring Ian Fleming's James Bond. Hubin;... More about Scorpius
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 about SeaFire
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 about Trigger Mortis
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 about Trigger Mortis
Colonel Sun.
London: Jonathan Cape, 1968. FIRST EDITION. Octavo (19 x 14cm), pp.255; [1]. Publisher's hardback cloth in pictorial dust-wrapper priced at 21s. Wraparound art by Tom Adams. Book is very clean, jacket with two short tears and a tiny amount of rubbing to crown. A particularly bright copy. The first post-... More about Colonel Sun
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 about Colonel Sun
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 about Colonel Sun. A James Bond Adventure by Robert Markham
Dressed to Kill. James Bond The Suited Hero. With an Introduction by Albert R 'Cubby' Broccoli.
New York and Paris: Flammarion, 1996. [Film costume design] FIRST EDITION. Quarto (26 x 21cm), pp.200. Colour photographs throughout. Publisher's black cloth lettered in grey, black endpapers photographic dust-wrapper. A clean, fine copy. A captivating and detailed documentary on the well-dressed gentleman spy, from the novels to the big screen... More about Dressed to Kill. James Bond The Suited Hero. With an Introduction by Albert R 'Cubby' Broccoli
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 half black calf over matching cloth sides, top edge red, original endpapers (with Fleming family crest) and dust-jacket panel preserved at rear. Internally clean, minor discolour to top... More about The Life of Ian Fleming. Creator of James Bond
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, red top-stain, pictorial dust-wrapper. A near fine copy of the book in a lightly edgeworn, price-clipped jacket with a couple of scratches to rear panel. Shows well. This is one of... More about The Life of Ian Fleming. Creator of James Bond
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 half black calf over matching cloth sides, top edge red, original endpapers (with Fleming family crest) and upper cover (with 'Golden Eye' motif) preserved at rear. A fine... More about The Life of Ian Fleming. Creator of James Bond