James Bond First Editions

From Russia, With Love.

FLEMING, Ian Lancaster (1908-1964).

London: Jonathan Cape, 1957. [Thriller] FIRST EDITION, review copy. Octavo (19 x 13cm), pp.253; [3]. Publisher's black cloth-effect material over boards, blocked in silver and red metallic foil to spine and upper. Binding 'A' (Fabroleen cloth), pictorial jacket by Richard chopping in final proof state with unclipped corners, priced 13/6. No inscriptions, a little spotting to free endpaper, jacket rather rubbed to extremities, some chipping. A well-used/read copy. Although unmarked as such, this copy is from the library of novelist and reviewer Anthony Lejeune [pseudonym of Edward Anthony Thompson, 1928-2018]detective novelist, critic, editor, broadcaster, and crime correspondent hired by Ian Fleming at The Sunday Times. This would account for the unclipped flaps which often accompanied pre-publication review copies. Sold by Francis Edwards ABA, together with several of his advance copies of the Bond novels (many with review slips), then forming part of the Fleming archive assembled by Jon Gilbert with a pencilled note from Fleming bibliographer Jon Gilbert regarding the provenance. Item #70535

Gilbert A5a (1.1).

Price: £1,500.00