"A book should serve as the axe for the frozen sea within us."
— Franz Kafka
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, 1976. [Spy Thriller] Twelfth printing. Octavo (20 x 13cm), pp.218; [2]. Publisher's black cloth-effect paper over boards with red titles to spine and 'Heart' design to upper. With the pictorial green 'playing card' dust-jacket illustrated by Pat Marriott, clipped and repriced by the publisher at £6.95. Contents..... More
New York, NY: MJF Books, [1994]. [James Bond novel] FIRST MJF EDITION. Octavo (21 x 14cm), pp.218; [6], blank. Publisher's black quarter cloth with green 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..... More
London: Queen Anne Press, 2023. [Spy novel] SIGNED DELUXE ANNIVERSARY EDITION. Octavo (26 x 18cm), pp.[vi]; 200; [2]. Letterpress printing on 150gsm Bockingford White Eggshell paper. Handsomely bound in full racing green morocco leather with gilt 'CR' monogram blocked to upper, lettered in gilt to spine, silk endbands, grey endpapers..... More
London: Penguin 007, 2008. [Spy novel] FIRST IMPRESSION of the Centenary edition. Octavo (23 x 15cm), pp.[vi]; 208; [10], adverts. Bound in original silver-stamped black cloth in striking dust-jacket with 'retro' style artwork by Michael Gillette priced at £14.99. No inscriptions. Soft fold/page turned over at start else clean and..... More
London & New York: Pan Books, Signet Books, 1966, [1967]. [Spy thrillers] Two differing versions of Ian Fleming's novel, each being film tie-in editions for the 1967 Columbia Pictures movie starring Peter Sellers and David Niven. Slim octavo softcovers; Pan X series priced at 3/6, Signet P series priced at..... More
London: Queen Anne Press, 2008. [James Bond] DELUXE LIMITED EDITION, in Vellum over cloth sides, number 39 of just 100 copies thus. Complete in 18 volumes. Octavo. The definitive edition of Ian Fleming, issued to commemorate the birth of the author; no such edition has been published before. A fine..... More
London: The Queen Anne Press, 2008. [James Bond] LIMITED EDITION. Complete in 18 volumes, octavos (23 x 15cm). The definitive edition of Ian Fleming's works, issued to commemorate the birth of the author; no such edition has been published before. Number 30 of 250 sets thus, bound by Shepherds, Sangorski..... More
New York: Aeonian Press, 1976. [Children's classic adventure story] Limited Edition. Octavo (22 x 15cm), pp.157; [3]. With illustrations by John Burningham (not credited). Publisher's dark green cloth stamped in gilt to spine, with sewn headbands (several different cloth colours were used). Contents clean, marker cross to endpaper and cover..... More
New York: Aeonian Press, 1976. [Children's classic adventure story] Limited Edition. Octavo (22 x 15cm), pp.157; [3]. With illustrations by John Burningham (not credited). Publisher's dark blue cloth stamped in gilt to spine, with sewn headbands, red endpapers (several different cloth colours were used). A clean, fine copy. Issued in..... More
New York: Aeonian Press, 1976. [Children's classic adventure story] Limited Edition. Octavo (22 x 15cm), pp.157; [3]. With illustrations by John Burningham (not credited). Publisher's dark brown cloth stamped in gilt to spine and front cover, with sewn headbands, purple endpapers (several different cloth colours were used). A clean, fine..... More
Norwalk, Conn.: Easton Press, published by arrangement with Random House, 2017. [Children's classic adventure story] DELUXE LEATHER-BOUND EDITION. Octavo (paper size 230mm x 160mm), pp.[x]; 117; [1],blank. With illustrations by John Burningham. Publisher's full dark green leather blocked in gilt, silk endpapers in bronze, a.e.g., sewn headbands, ribbon marker. A...... More
London: Paul Hamlyn, 1968. [Children's Illustrated] FIRST THUS, bibliographer's copy. Octavo (22 x 16cm), pp.[24]. With uncredited colour illustrations to every page. Publisher's glossy colour-illustrated hard covers. Yellow pastedowns. A lovely fresh copy in superb condition. A short adaptation of Ian Fleming's classic children's tale, designed for the very youngest..... More
London: Hodder, 2020. [Childrens classic] FIRST EDITION thus. Quarto (28 x 26cm), unpaginated. Illustarted throughout in colour. Publisher's pictorial boards and endpapers, no jacket was issued. A fine copy. A beautifully-illustrated picture-book retelling of Ian Fleming's evergreen adventure story. The hardcover is surprisingly scarce. Not in Gilbert (published after the..... More
London: Penguin Education / Ward Lock Education, 1970, 1971, 1995. [Children's Illustrated] Simplified for younger readers. Three volumes comprising FIRST THUS, first reprint, and Ward Lock reissue. Octavo (21 x 15cm), pp.64. With illustrations throughout. Publisher's colour-illustrated soft covers. No ink names, light handling. Very good (the reissue is fine)..... More
New York: Random House, 1968. [Childrens classic] Large-size annual format hardback with seven pop-ups and movables. Octavo (25 x 19cm), pp.[24]. Illustrated in colour. No inscriptions. All pop-ups are operational except the last (rear cover), which is static. Most are a little tired/worn in places. Some splits to inside and..... More
London: Queen Anne Press, in association with Adrian Harrington, [2022]. [Childrens adventures] CLASSIC READERS EDITION. Octavo (22 x 14cm), pp.112. Publisher's racing green-coloured hardcovers stamped in gilt, decorated with the author's initials in gilt to cover, plain black endpapers. New book. SIGNED on behalf of the publisher by Jon Gilbert..... More
[London: Jonathan Cape], 1953 [circa 1990s]. Sturdy cloth clamshell for the Cape (UK) printing of the novel Casino Royale. With brown buckram covering, black title labels blocked in gilt, inner trays lined with black bookcloth. Fine condition. Box only- no book included. More
[London: Jonathan Cape] Tunbridge Wells: Adrian Harrington Rare Books, [1956-1980, to fit]. A brand new protective clamshell box for Cape (UK) printings of the novel Diamonds Are Forever, produced exclusively for Adrian Harrington booksellers. With black cloth covering, rounded spine blocked in gilt, inner trays lined with scarlet red 'suedelle'..... More
[London: Jonathan Cape] Tunbridge Wells: Adrian Harrington Rare Books, [1960-1980, to fit]. A brand new protective clamshell box for Cape (UK) printings of the book For Your Eyes Only, produced exclusively for Adrian Harrington booksellers. With black cloth covering, rounded spine blocked in gilt, inner trays lined with scarlet red..... More
[London: Jonathan Cape] Tunbridge Wells: Adrian Harrington Rare Books, [1959-1980, to fit]. A brand new protective clamshell box for Cape (UK) printings of the novel Goldfinger, produced exclusively for Adrian Harrington booksellers. With black cloth covering, rounded spine blocked in gilt, inner trays lined with scarlet red 'suedelle' material. External..... More
[London: Jonathan Cape] Tunbridge Wells: Adrian Harrington Rare Books, [1955-1980, to fit]. A brand new protective clamshell box for Cape (UK) printings of the novel Moonraker, produced exclusively for Adrian Harrington booksellers. With black cloth covering, rounded spine blocked in gilt, inner trays lined with scarlet red 'suedelle' material. External..... More
[London: Jonathan Cape] Tunbridge Wells: Adrian Harrington Rare Books, [1963-1980, to fit]. A brand new protective clamshell box for Cape (UK) printings of the novel Moonraker, produced exclusively for Adrian Harrington booksellers. With black cloth covering, rounded spine blocked in gilt, inner trays lined with scarlet red 'suedelle' material. External..... More
[London: Jonathan Cape] Tunbridge Wells: Adrian Harrington Rare Books, [1964-1980, to fit]. A brand new protective clamshell box for Cape (UK) printings of the novel You Only Live Twice, produced exclusively for Adrian Harrington booksellers. With black cloth covering, rounded spine blocked in gilt, inner trays lined with scarlet red..... More
[London: Jonathan Cape] Tunbridge Wells: Adrian Harrington Rare Books, [1953-1980, to fit]. A uniform series of fourteen brand new protective clamshell boxes for Cape (UK) printings of the James Bond novels, produced by Adrian Harrington. With black cloth covering, rounded spine blocked in gilt, inner trays lined with scarlet red..... More
London: Thorpe & Porter Ltd., [1962]. [Comic book] Published as issue 158a of the Classics Illustrated series, with colour artwork throughout by Norman Nodel. Pp.32, in illustrated paper covers, stapled. Price 1/6. Contents gently toned as expected, small sticker pull and crayon strike to cover else a very good copy..... More