Ian Fleming | Goldfinger, 1959, first edition, second state, inscribed by the author

Ian Fleming

Goldfinger. London: Jonathan Cape, 1959

8vo, FIRST EDITION, FIRST ISSUE, second state, INSCRIBED BY THE AUTHOR ("For | Agatha Soames | to the Artist | from | The Author!") on second front endpaper, original black cloth, lettered in gilt, design to upper cover in blind and gilt, original dust-jacket by Richard Chopping, housed in bespoke cloth clamshell case with embossed dust-jacket design and magenta sides, plastic wallet containing associated ephemera loose in case (list of ephemera available upon request), a couple of small marginal spots, lower panel of dust-jacket with minor creasing at upper margin

INSCRIBED BY THE AUTHOR TO EDITH MARY AGATHA SOAMES (1886-1962), the cousin of Christopher Soames MP. In the novel, Tilly Masterson gives an alias to James Bond, seemingly in an ode to Agatha: "The name’s Soames, Miss Tilly Soames." Fleming also inscribed a copy of From Russia, With Love to Agatha Soames (see lot 113).

The second state, where the small area of detail on the skull is no longer present on the cloth binding.

LITERATURE:

Gilbert A7a (1.2)