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— Henry Ward Beecher
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
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. [Spy thriller] FIRST EDITION. Octavo (19 x 13cm), pp.255; [1], blank. Illustrated map endpapers. The rarer variant with a dropped quad mark to the date on the copyright page (rather in the same manner as 'The Spy Who Loved Me' variant - see Gilbert). Publisher's hardcovers..... 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
![James Bond] 007 Magazine. February 2011. Ian FLEMING, Graham RYE, Jon, GILBERT, Edward,...](/pictures/thumb/56419.jpg?v=1586882294)
[James Bond] 007 Magazine. February 2011.
UK: 007 Magazine and Archive Ltd, 2011. Magazine format in pictorial glossy card wraps, stapled at spine. pp.34. 'A Deluxe Limited Edition Publication' with colour photographs throughout. Fine / as new. Includes a tribute to the James Bond cover artist Raymond Hawkey by Edward Milward-Oliver, SIGNED by contributor Jon Gilbert..... More
![James Bond] Goldfinger Portfolio ['Steelbook']. Ian FLEMING, Graham RYE](/pictures/thumb/57684.jpg?v=1596811812)
[James Bond] Goldfinger Portfolio ['Steelbook'].
UK: 007 Magazine and Archive Ltd, 2014. [Film reference] LIMITED EDITION, No 132 of 350 numbered copies. Octavo, pp.350. Includes over a thousand images (many never seen before), call sheets, sketches, press releases and much more. Comb bound in colour-printed sheet-metal covers, wrapped in gold tissue paper and housed in..... More
![James Bond] Ian Fleming. Sixty Years of 007 [within Fine Books and Collections]. Ian FLEMING,...](/pictures/thumb/56808.JPG?v=1589300954)
[James Bond] Ian Fleming. Sixty Years of 007 [within Fine Books and Collections].
Chapel Hill, NC: Journalistic, Inc. / Webb C. Howell, Spring 2013. Magazine format in pictorial glossy photographic covers, perfect bound. pp.64. Illustrated with colour photographs throughout. Original price $5.95. Fine / as new. Includes a three-page article 'The Birth of Bond', celebrating the 60th anniversary of the novel Casino Royale..... 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 near 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
Matzohball. An Israel Bond Thriller.
New York, NY: Pocket Books, 1966. [James Bond pastiche] FIRST EDITION. Octavo (22 x 14cm), pp.126; [1], order form; [1], blank. Publisher's colour softcovers with original price $1.00. Lightly handled; fine. 'A new adventure of Hebrew secret agent Oy-Oy-7'. 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
Double O Seven. James Bond. A Report.
New York, NY: Signet Books, 1965. [Reference/ Literary criticism] FIRST U.S. EDITION. Pp.127 + [1], advertisement. Publisher's illustrated softcovers priced at 50c, all edges red. Cheap paper stock browned as usual, covers show some rubbing and wear. Very good. A former book illustrator and intelligence operative in Russia, Oswald Frederick..... More
The Seven Deadly Sins. With a Special Foreword by Ian Fleming, introduced by Raymond Mortimer.
New York: William Morrow and Company (Printed and Bound in Great Britain), 1962. [Morality Essays] FIRST US EDITION, FIRST ISSUE. Octavo (22 x 15cm), pp.xvi; 87. Publisher's red cloth with gilt titles to spine. With the dust-jacket, priced $3.50s. UK sheets in the US (Morrow) binding, with Morrow imprint on..... More