"Books serve to show a man that those original thoughts of his aren't very new after all."
— Abraham Lincoln
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
London: Jonathan Cape, 1956. [Spy thriller] FIRST EDITION, Binding B (Linson cloth). Octavo (20 x 14cm), pp.257; [1], blank. Publisher's black cloth titled in silver. No ink names, contents clean, page edges are gently and uniformly tanned, one small bump to rear cover otherwise binding is fresh. The fourth of..... More
New York, NY: MJF Books, [1994]. [James Bond novel] FIRST MJF EDITION. Octavo (21 x 14cm), pp.256. Publisher's white quarter cloth with yellow paper over boards. In illustrated dust-wrapper. Contents and jacket clean and fresh. A quality hardcover reissue. From the comprehensive Ian Fleming Bibliographical Archive assembled by Jon Gilbert..... More
New York, NY: MacMillan, Viking & The New American Library, 1965. [Spy novels] The FIRST AMERICAN BOOK CLUB EDITION, bibliographer's set. Octavo (22 x 15cm). Twenty-three volumes. Publisher's black or leatherette with gilt titles to spine and various coloured leatherette strips to fore-edges, various coloured topstains, 'girl and gun' jacket..... More
New York, NY: MacMillan, Viking & The New American Library, 1965. [Spy novels] The FIRST AMERICAN BOOK CLUB EDITION. Octavo (22 x 15cm). Nine volumes. Publisher's black leatherette with gilt titles to spine and various coloured leatherette strips to fore-edges, various coloured topstains, 'girl and gun' jacket design against backgrounds..... More
London: Chancellor Press. 1984. [Spy thrillers] FIRST EDITION THUS. Octavo (22 x 15cm), pp.285 [3]. Elegantly bound in half navy blue calf, lettered in gilt, raised bands to spine, matching cloth over boards. Light toning to text block, exterior as new. A fine copy in an attractive recent leather binding..... More
Bath: Cedric Chivers Press / New Portway, 1982. [Spy novel] FIRST EDITION THUS. Large print. Octavo (22 x 14cm), pp.[vi]; 338; [4], blank. Publisher's hardcovers in photographic dust-jacket. Usual institutional markings within, inside paper joint cracked, edges of text block tanned, jacket with very little wear. A genuinely scarce book..... More
London: Pan Books, 1963. [James Bond spy novel] UK Paperback edition, ninth printing, film tie-in edition. Slim octavos (18 x 11cm), pp.189; [3], ads. Publisher's photographic softcovers designated either 'Great Pan' series 335 priced 2/6 or 'X series' X237 which is unpriced. Minor toning as expected else clean, bright fine..... More
London: Jonathan Cape, 1958. [James Bond] FIRST EDITION, FIRST ISSUE, bibliographer's copy. Binding A (Linson). Octavo (20 x 14cm), pp.256. Publisher's black cloth-effect paper over boards, silver titles to spine. A working copy; disbound sheets (loose) in the cloth case, which shows some wear. Text is complete, some spotting, ink..... More
London: Jonathan Cape, 1958. [Bond thriller] FIRST EDITION. Octavo (20 x 14cm), pp.256. Export copy. Publisher's black cloth-effect paper over boards, silver titles to spine. Second state binding, with the 'Dancing Lady' design to the upper. Illustrated dust-wrapper by Pat Marriott. No inscriptions, contents clean, edges a little toned/spotted, bright..... More
London: Jonathan Cape, 1958. [James Bond novel] FIRST EDITION. Octavo (20 x 14cm), pp.256. Publisher's black cloth-effect paper over boards, silver titles to spine. Second state binding, with the 'Dancing Lady' design to the upper. Illustrated dust-wrapper by Pat Marriott. No inscriptions or signs of ownership. Contents and page edges..... More
London: Jonathan Cape, 1962. [James Bond novel] FIRST EDITION, fourth printing, bibliographer's copy. Octavo (20 x 14cm), pp.256. Publisher's black cloth with 'Dancing Lady' design in brown, illustrated dust-wrapper by Pat Marriott, repriced at 16s. A clean, fine book in a crisp wrapper which has been protected with a clear..... More
London: Jonathan Cape, 1963. [James Bond adventure] Fifth Impression. Octavo (20 x 14cm), pp.256. Publisher's black cloth-effect paper over boards, silver titles to spine, with pictorial dust-jacket designed by Pat Marriott priced 16s. Contents clean, no ink inscriptions, some very light foxing to edges of text block and flaps. Jacket..... More
London: Jonathan Cape, 1958. [Spy thriller] FIRST EDITION, first impression. Octavo (20 x 14cm), pp.256. Publisher's black cloth-effect paper over boards with 'dancing lady' design to front cover, silver titles to spine, illustrated dust-wrapper by Pat Marriott priced 13/6. Contents and page edges clean, jacket with light wear to extremities..... More
London: Jonathan Cape, 1958. [James Bond novel] FIRST EDITION, third printing, bibliographer's copy. Octavo (20 x 14cm), pp.256. Publisher's black cloth with 'Dancing Lady' design in brown, illustrated dust-wrapper by Pat Marriott, clipped and repriced by the publisher at 15s. Contents and edges are clean, jacket is lightly handled, slighty..... More
London: Jonathan Cape, 1958. [James Bond] LEATHER BOUND FIRST EDITION, first impression. Octavo (20 x 14cm), pp.256. Elegantly bound in black half oasis morocco over matching cloth sides, spine gilt-titled in six compartments with traditional raised bands, red endpapers. Contents clean but for a few expected reading marks, minor ripples..... More
London: Jonathan Cape, 1958. [Bond thriller] FIRST EDITION, true FIRST ISSUE. Octavo (20 x 14cm), pp.256. Publisher's black cloth-effect paper over boards, EARLIEST binding design without the 'Dancing Lady' design on the upper board, illustrated dust-wrapper by Pat Marriott priced 13/6. Contents clean, no inscriptions, edges of text block toned..... More
London: Jonathan Cape, 1958. [James Bond] FIRST EDITION, first impression, Bibliographer's copy. Octavo (20 x 14cm), pp.256. Publisher's black cloth-effect paper over boards with 'dancing lady' design to front cover, silver titles to spine. Contents clean, discreet date 'April 5th 1958' to endpaper, covers are fresh, sharp corners. The sixth..... More
New York: The Macmillan Company, [1966]. [Spy novel] SECOND U.S. EDITION. Octavo (22 x 14cm), pp.188; [4], blank. Black vinyl-style cloth-covered boards lettered in gilt to the spine, yellow strip to fore-edge with a yellow topstain, in pictorial dust-jacket illustrated by Jerome Kuhl, priced at $3.95. Contents clean, no inscriptions..... More
London: Jonathan Cape, 1958. [James Bond] FIRST EDITION, FIRST ISSUE, binding 'B'. Octavo (20 x 14cm), pp.256. Publisher's black cloth-effect paper over boards, silver titles to spine, without wrapper. The covering material is Fabroleen, without the 'Dancing Lady' blocked to the front, being the earlier of the two cover designs..... More
New York: Pyramid Publications, 1965. [Short story] PERIODICAL APPEARANCE. Magazine format in pictorial paper wraps (28 x 22cm). Original price: 50 cents. The story appears on pages 14-15, 118-121, with a double-page illustration. Contents toned as expected, minor wear to covers. Near fine. 'Annual' appearance, having been published in the..... More
Bath: Cedric Chivers Press / New Portway, 1982. [Spy stories] FIRST EDITION THUS. Large print. Octavo (22 x 14cm), pp.[viii]; 253; [3], blank. Publisher's hardcovers in photographic dust-jacket. Page edges toned, with usual institutional markings and declassification, lightly used only; jacket is bright and fresh. A genuinely scarce book, with..... More
Bath: Cedric Chivers Press / New Portway, 1982. [Spy stories] FIRST EDITION THUS. Large print. Octavo (22 x 14cm), pp.[viii]; 253; [3], blank. Publisher's hardcovers. Page edges toned, with usual institutional markings, lightly used only. A genuinely scarce book. These large print edition were issued exclusively to lending libraries and..... More
London: Pan Books, 1963. [Short stories] Paperback fourth printing, BINDING A and BINDING B. Slim octavos (18 x 11cm), pp.191; [1], advertisement. Publisher's illustrated softcovers designated 'Great Pan' series G551 priced 2/6 or 'X series' X239 priced 3/6. Cheap paper browned as expected, some soiling to 2/6 copies, bookstore stamps..... More
London: Pan Books, 1963. [Short stories] Paperback sixth printing. Slim octavos (18 x 11cm), pp.191; [1], advertisement. Publisher's illustrated softcovers, one priced 3/6 the other unpriced for export. 'Pan X' series X239. Cheap paper browned as expected, some light soiling/handling. Near fine copies. Two identical printings in slightly different covers..... More
London: Pan Books, 1962. [Short stories] FIRST EDITIONS in paperback (UK version and international version). Slim octavos (18 x 11cm), pp.191; [1], advertisement. Publisher's illustrated softcovers. 'Great Pan' series G551. Cheap paper toned as expected, discreet owner name to 2/6 copy, faint 40c stamp to international copy, a few minor..... More