Ian Fleming | A collection of James Bond first editions and uncorrected proof copies, with Mather, The Pass Beyond Kashmir, 10 volumes in all

Ian Fleming (and others)

A James Bond collection, comprising:

First editions:

(1) Live and Let Die. London: Jonathan Cape, 1954. FIRST EDITION, first impression, second issue (dust-jacket with Kenneth Lewis credit added beneath blurb on inside flap), 8vo, original black cloth, lettered in gilt, design to upper board in gilt, dust-jacket, slight spotting to endleaves, bookseller's inkstamp to front pastedown, dust-jacket with some browning and dampstaining [Gilbert A2a (1.3)]

(2) From Russia, With Love. London: Jonathan Cape, 1957. FIRST EDITION, first impression (Gilbert's Type A cloth), 8vo, original black cloth, lettered in silver and red, design to upper cover in silver and red, unclipped dust-jacket illustrated by Richard Chopping (priced 13/6), slight wear to dust-jacket [Gilbert A5a (1.1)]

(3) The Spy Who Loved Me. London: Jonathan Cape, 1962. FIRST EDITION, first impression, 8vo, original dark grey/brown cloth, lettered in silver, design to upper cover in silver and blind, red endpapers, dust-jacket [Gilbert A10a (1.1)]

(4) The Spy Who Loved Me. London: Jonathan Cape, 1962. FIRST EDITION, first impression, 8vo, VARIANT ISSUE (with quad mark on title-page), original dark grey/brown cloth, lettered in silver, design to upper cover in silver and blind, red endpapers, dust-jacket [Gilbert A10a (1.2)]

This is the variant issue of the first impression, with the printer’s quad mark (a spacer between the type) appearing on the title page. Gilbert notes that “no priority between the two variants has been established... as few as one in ten copies exist in this state within the first print run”.

(5) On Her Majesty's Secret Service. London: Jonathan Cape, 1963. FIRST EDITION, first impression, Gilbert's binding A, 8vo, original type C cloth in dark grey/dark brown, dust-jacket, ink presentation inscription dating from the year of publication to front free endpaper [Gilbert A11a (1.1)]

Uncorrected proof copies:

(6) You Only Live Twice. London: Jonathan Cape, 1964. UNCORRECTED PROOF, 8vo, light green textured card, wrappers with some spotting and rubbing at extremities [Gilbert A12a 'Uncorrected Proof Copies', p. 338]

(7) The Man With The Golden Gun. London: Jonathan Cape, 1965. UNCORRECTED PROOF, 8vo, light green soft card covers, library stamps ("Edgeware Hospital Red Cross Library") to front pastedown and half-title [Gilbert A13a 'Uncorrected Proof Copies', pp. 414-5], slight wear to covers

(8) The Spy Who Loved Me. London: Jonathan Cape, 1962. UNCORRECTED PROOF, 8vo, light green soft card covers, slight wear to covers [Gilbert A10a (Uncorrected Proof Copy)]

(9) Robert Markham [Kingsley Amis]. Colonel Sun: A James Bond Adventure. London: Jonathan Cape, 1968. UNCORRECTED PROOF, 8vo, light green soft card covers, slight spotting and creasing to covers

With:

(10) Berkely Mather. The Pass Beyond Kashmir. London: Collins, 1960. FIRST EDITION, 8vo, original blue cloth, dust-jacket, ORIGINAL YELLOW PROMOTIONAL WRAP-AROUND BAND ("read what Ian Fleming says"), dust-jacket price-clipped and with minor wear at extremities