"There is no friend as loyal as a book."
— Ernest Hemingway
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
'Operation Thunderball' contained within 'Now and Then' Magazine. No. 107, Spring, 1961.
London: Jonathan Cape Ltd., 1961. Pp.24. Price 9d. Magazine format, stapled. A couple of ink splashes to fore-edge else fine. 'Operation Thunderball' appears on page 7, being a pre-book-form printing of the letter which sets in motion SPECTRE's operation. This is an excerpt from the 'Fasten Your Lap-Strap' chapter of..... More
'Thunderball' (A James Bond Spy Thriller) contained within 'Argosy' magazine for men. Volume 353, Number 6, December 1961.
Ohio and New York: Popular Publications, Incorporated. 1961. Magazine format in pictorial paper wraps. Original price: 50 cents. Minor wear to spine and postal label to upper else fine. The novel 'Thunderball' is advertised on the front cover as an 'extra book bonus' and appears on pages 128–44, with a...... More
The Life of Ian Fleming Creator of James Bond
London: Pan Books Ltd 1967. Paperback. First edition thus. Octavo, pp.416, with illustrated softcovers and photographic plates within. Cheap paper stock toned as expected, some dustiness otherwise a lovely near fine copy of 'an essential biographical volume' (Gilbert). BMC No.1 p.4-13 'Fleming and Bond; Related Titles'. More
Zero Minus Ten (a James Bond novel).
London: Hodder and Stoughton, 1997. FIRST EDITION. Original hardback cloth in a pictorial dust-wrapper. With publisher's bookplate SIGNED BY THE AUTHOR. loosely inserted no inscripotions or price-clipping. A fine copy. Hubin; Crime Fiction IV. Gilbert, Jon; Ian Fleming: The Bibliography, page 613. More
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
"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
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
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
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
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
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
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
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
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
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
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 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
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, 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
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. Publisher's black cloth with red endpapers and red top edge, in glossy dust-wrapper priced at £2.75. A fine copy of the book with strong red colour to topstain, jacket with a few nicks and tears;..... 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