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
The James Bond Dossier.
London: Jonathan Cape, 1965. [James Bond Reference] FIRST EDITION. Octavo (24 x 16cm), pp.159 [1]. Publisher's black cloth-effect paper over boards, with gilt titles to spine, and the pictorial dust-wrapper, based on the familiar Chopping 'trompe l'oeil' designs from the Ian Fleming first editions. Priced at 16s. to flap. A...... More
The James Bond Dossier.
London: Jonathan Cape, 1965. [James Bond Reference] FIRST EDITION. Octavo (24 x 16cm), pp.159 [1]. Publisher's black cloth-effect paper over boards, with gilt titles to spine, and the pictorial dust-wrapper, based on the familiar Chopping 'trompe l'oeil' designs from the Ian Fleming first editions. Contents clean, page edges toned, some..... More
The James Bond Dossier.
London: Jonathan Cape, 1965. [James Bond Reference] FIRST EDITION, ASSOCIATION COPY. Octavo (24 x 16cm), pp.159 [1]. Publisher's black cloth-effect paper over boards, with gilt titles to spine, and the pictorial dust-wrapper, based on the familiar Chopping 'trompe l'oeil' designs from the Ian Fleming first editions. Decorative bookplate, SIGNED by..... More
The James Bond Dossier.
London: Jonathan Cape, 1965. [James Bond Reference] FIRST EDITION. Octavo (24 x 16cm), pp.159 [1]. Handsomely bound in half red oasis morocco, titled and decorated in gilt to the spine, raised bands, matching cloth sides, top edge gilt. Contents clean, but for a few light spots/reading marks, exterior as new. A...... More
The James Bond Dossier.
London: Jonathan Cape, 1965. [James Bond Reference] FIRST EDITION, PRESENTATION COPY on behalf of Kingsley Amis. Octavo (24 x 16cm), pp.159 [1]. Publisher's black cloth-effect paper over boards, with gilt titles to spine, and the pictorial dust-wrapper, based on the familiar Chopping 'trompe l'oeil' designs from the Ian Fleming first..... More
The James Bond Dossier.
London: Jonathan Cape, 1965. [James Bond] FIRST EDITION. Brigadier Fitzroy Maclean's copy, with a printed label loosely inserted. Octavo (24 x 16cm), pp.159 [1]. Publisher's hardcover in pictorial dust-wrapper, based on the familiar Chopping 'trompe l'oeil' designs from the Ian Fleming first editions. Contents clean, no inscriptions, some trivial wear..... More
The James Bond Dossier.
New York, NY: Signet Books, 1966. [Bond reference /critique] FIRST U.S. PAPERBACK. Octavo (18 x 11cm), pp.127 [1], advertisement. Publisher's illustrated softcovers priced at 60c, all edges red. Owner's rubber stamp to margin, cheap paper stock toned as expected else a clean, fine copy. Now a rather elusive paperback, published..... More
Programme for the 2014 International Antiquarian Book Fair, Grand Palais, Paris.
ILAB-LILA, 11-13 April 2014. [Handbook] Octavo (24 x 16cm), pp.98, illustrated throughout with photographs. Text in French. A guide to the Paris Book Fair and associated events including the presentation of the 16th Breslauer Prize for Bibliography, awarded to Jon Gilbert for Ian Fleming: The Bibliography. Signed by the subject..... More
The Art of Bond.
London: Boxtree/Pan Macmillan, 2006. [Film design] FIRST EDITION. Square quarto (26 x 26cm), pp.240. Colour photographs throughout. Publisher's black cloth lettered in silver, black endpapers photographic dust-wrapper priced at £30rrp. Some trivial handling to jacket else a fine copy. Sub-titled 'From the storyboard to screen: the creative process behind the..... More
Poems.
Paris: Hours Press, 1930. [Verse] FIRST EDITION, limited issue, number 94 of 200 copies, signed by the author. Slim small folio, pp.18; [2]. Printed on hand-press paper. Publisher's cloth-backed red paper boards, edges untrimmed. Decorative bookplate and ownership signature of Eve Fleming. Contents clean, boards shelf-worn. very good. Evelyn Beatrice..... More
James Bond, The Man and His World, The Official Companion to Ian Fleming's Creation.
London: John Murray, 2005. FIRST EDITION, with strike-like '1' present. Illustrated quarto (25 x 20cm), pp.250. Hand-bound in half burgundy oasis morocco with raised bands to spine, gilt titles, matching cloth sides, black endpapers, publisher's original cloth spine and dust-jacket preserved at the rear. A fine copy in an attractive..... More
James Bond, The Man and His World, The Official Companion to Ian Fleming's Creation.
London: John Murray, 2005. [Literary Reference] FIRST EDITION, with strike-like '1' present. Illustrated quarto (25 x 20cm), pp.250. Publisher's red cloth hardcovers, pictorial dust-wrapper priced at £20. Bound without the rear flyleaf (as they were issued). A fine, unread copy. Cited by Gilbert as a primary reference book on Ian..... More
James Bond, The Man and His World, The Official Companion to Ian Fleming's Creation.
London: John Murray, 2005. [Literary Reference] FIRST EDITION, with strike-like '1' present. Illustrated quarto (25 x 20cm), pp.250. Publisher's red cloth hardcovers, pictorial dust-wrapper priced at £20. Contents clean, jacket unmarked. Bibliographer Jon Gilbert's reference copy, with pencilled comments to two post-it notes within. A fine copy. Cited by Gilbert..... More
All Night at Mr. Stanyhurst's. Introduced by Ian Fleming.
New York: Macmillan [Printed and bound in Great Britain], 1963. [Historical Fiction] FIRST EDITION THUS (published simultaneously with the British edition). Octavo (19 x 13cm), pp.xx; 7-197; [1], blank. Publisher's smooth cloth-effect paper over boards, with gilt titles to the spine, top edge tinted orange, in pictorial dust-wrapper. No inscriptions..... More
All Night at Mr. Stanyhurst's [two variant bindings]. Introduced by Ian Fleming.
London: Jonathan Cape, 1963. [Historical Fiction] FIRST EDITION THUS. Octavo (19 x 13cm), pp.xx; 7-197 [1]. Publisher's binding of black textured 'Excelin' material over boards, with gilt titles to the spine, top edge tinted orange, in pictorial dust-wrapper. Together with the variant binding with a dark grey smooth-surfaced covering material..... More
007 - James Bond - For Your Eyes Only. A Marvel Movie Special.
New York: The Marvel Comics Group, October-November 1981. Published as Volume 1, Nos. 1-2 (complete in two issues), presented by Stan Lee and released to coincide with the United Artists film production. The comic is an adaptation of the film rather than the novel, and the characters are drawn to..... More
The Bedside Guardian 14. A Selection from The Guardian 1964-5.
London: Collins, 1965. [Anthology] FIRST EDITION. Octavo (21 x 14cm), pp.256. Publisher's green cloth with titles in gilt to the spine, typographic pink dust jacket priced at 16s. Edges spotted, jacket sunned at spine. Very good. Annual literary collection, featuring an obituary of Ian Fleming (pp.109-111), originally published the day..... More
Airline Detective. The Fight Against International Air Crime. Introduced by Ian Fleming.
London: Collins, 1962. [True crime] FIRST EDITION. Two volumes (first and second impressions) Octavo (19 x 13cm), pp.xx; 7-197; [1], blank. Publisher's smooth cloth-effect paper over boards, with red titles to the spine, top edge tinted orange, in pictorial dust-wrapper. First printing with slightly chipped jacket, price clipped; second printing..... More
Airline Detective. The Fight Against International Air Crime. Introduced by Ian Fleming.
London: Collins, 1962. [True crime] FIRST EDITION. Octavo (19 x 13cm), pp.xx; 7-197; [1], blank. Publisher's smooth cloth-effect paper over boards, with red titles to the spine, top edge tinted orange, in pictorial dust-wrapper priced at 21s. Discreet owner name, jacket with a few small nicks; very good indeed. Airline..... More
Airline Detective. The Fight Against International Air Crime. Introduced by Ian Fleming.
London: Collins, 1962. [True crime] FIRST EDITION. Octavo (19 x 13cm), pp.xx; 7-197; [1], blank. Publisher's smooth cloth-effect paper over boards, with red titles to the spine, top edge tinted orange, in pictorial dust-wrapper priced at 21s. Contents clean, edges toned, jacket with a few small chips to crown and..... More
Airline Detective. The Fight Against International Air Crime. Introduced by Ian Fleming.
London: Collins, 1962. [True crime] FIRST EDITION, SIGNED BY THE AUTHOR. Second impression. Octavo (19 x 13cm), pp.xx; 7-197; [1], blank. Publisher's smooth cloth-effect paper over boards, with red titles to the spine, top edge tinted orange, in pictorial dust-wrapper. With presentation note to title; Yours very sincerely / Donald..... More
Airline Detective. The Fight Against International Air Crime. Introduced by Ian Fleming (2 copies).
London: Fontana Books, 1962. FIRST PAPERBACK EDITION. Two variant copies, the home market issue priced at 3/6 together with the unpriced export copy. Octavos, pp.189; [2], ads; [1], blank. Publisher's softcovers with stills from the recent television adaptation entitled 'Zero One'. Illustrated with black and white photos within. Very good..... More
The Lawless Skies. With a Foreword by Ian Fleming.
New York: Putnam, 1962. FIRST U.S. EDITION. Pp.224, with photographic plates. Publisher's black cloth blocked in blue, pictorial dust-jacket designed by Arthur Hawkins priced at $3.95. An abridged version of Fleming's foreword also fills the rear panel. A clean, fine copy of the book in a very good jacket with..... More
'Diamonds Are Forever' reviews contained within 'Now and Then' magazine, Number 97, Summer 1956.
London: Jonathan Cape. [1956]. [Journal] Pp.16. Price sixpence. Magazine format, illustrated. A fine copy. Publisher Jonathan Cape's literary magazine for the publishing industry, booksellers and the public alike. Contains two quotes from reviews of the latest James Bond novel 'Diamonds are Forever' (p.13), from the Birmingham Post and the Sunday..... More
'From Russia With Love' announcement contained within 'Now & Then' magazine, Winter 1956-7.
London: Jonathan Cape. [1956]. [Journal] (25 x 17 cm) pp.24. Price sixpence. Magazine format, illustrated. With folio colour advertisement for 'Books and Bookmen' tucked in. Near fine. Publisher Jonathan Cape's literary magazine for the publishing industry, booksellers and the public alike. Contains a paragraph in the 'News' section (p.21) which..... More