$3.15m James Bond Collection for Sale
signed books to Robert Kennedy, Churchill and others
Some of the exceptional inscribed first editions in the Ian Fleming Collection
include signatures of Robert Kennedy and Winston Churchill
Peter Harrington, the UK’s largest rare bookseller, this year celebrates its 50th anniversary, and is thrilled to offer for sale an exceptional collection of Ian Fleming material for $3.15m, which it will be exhibiting at this year’s Masterpiece London. It is the most significant Fleming Collection to ever appear on the market and contains inscribed first editions of every James Bond book published in the author’s lifetime.
Amongst these inscriptions are some sensational associations:
- An omnibus edition of Casino Royale, From Russia With Love and Doctor No inscribed to James Bond;
- Live and Let Die inscribed to Winston Churchill;
- The Spy Who Loved Me inscribed to Robert Kennedy;
- Moonraker inscribed to Raymond Chandler;
- From Russia with Love bearing a personal inscription from Fleming to his wife.
The Collection also includes a number of manuscripts, pre-publication proofs, advance copies and ephemera, and a number of books from Fleming’s personal library. These include a notebook kept by Fleming on a trip to Japan, from which selected passages appear in You Only Live Twice, books from his childhood and a copy of Raymond Chandler’s last novel inscribed to Fleming by the author.
Ian Fleming’s books about James Bond are perennially popular and there is an extremely enthusiastic fan base for both the books and the films. Continued interest is fuelled by the release of each new film, with Bond 25 (working title) the latest film, set for release early next year. An indication of the price trend of James Bond first editions can be seen with a particularly fine copy of Casino Royale which Peter Harrington has been lucky enough to sell four times in the past few years:for $27,500 in 2002; $32,500 in 2006; $37,500 in 2008; and in 2013, for $62,500.
It is remarkably rare to see a whole collection like this for sale, as they are usually broken up, and it will appeal to someone looking to acquire a complete and exceptional Fleming collection all in one go. This collection is thehighest valued Peter Harrington has ever offered for sale. The 81 items come from a New York collector, who has been assembling the collection for over 30 years and it is offered for sale as a collection for $3.15m.
Pom Harrington owner of Peter Harrington Rare Books says: “The significance of this collection cannot be overstated. From typescripts which document Fleming’s creative process, to inscriptions which provide an insight into his personal life, few collections tell such a complete story about an author.”
To view the full list of items in the Fleming Collection Click HERE
Peter Harrington Rare Books is a member of the Antiquarian Booksellers’ Association and offers an ‘unconditional guarantee’ for each item it sells on its authenticity and completeness, as described.
James Bond Collection Highlights
Gilt-Edged Bonds Inscribed to James Bond
A presentation copy of Gilt-Edged Bonds (1961), the first Omnibus edition of Casino Royale, From Russia With Loveand Doctor No., inscribed by Ian Fleming to a person who shared his name with Fleming’s hero: “To James Bond from Ian Fleming”.
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Live and Let Die (1954) Inscribed to Winston Churchill
A superb presentation first edition, inscribed by Ian Fleming to Winston Churchill: “To Sir Winston Churchill, from whom I stole words! From the author. 1954”. The inscription refers to the Churchill quote regarding the secret services that is used on the front flap of the dust jacket, taken from his Thoughts and Adventures.
Since his boyhood, Ian Fleming was a great admirer of Winston Churchill. His father, Valentine Fleming, served in Churchill’s old regiment during the First World War. When Valentine was killed Churchill wrote an appreciation for him in The Times which Ian Fleming framed and hung in his various homes throughout his life. Churchill gets a passing reference in From Russia, With Love, where Bond’s housekeeper refuses to call anyone “sir” save for the King and Winston Churchill.
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The Spy Who Loved Me (1962) Inscribed to Robert Kennedy
A first edition, presentation copy inscribed by Ian Fleming to Robert Kennedy “to [Herr?] Robert Kennedy from [Herr?] Ian Fleming”. Fleming first met Robert Kennedy’s brother, the future president John F. Kennedy, in Washington in March 1960. Fleming had dinner with John F. Kennedy, and their discussions on the Cuban threat interested John, who was already a fan of James Bond. Through John, Fleming became acquainted with Robert, and he sent inscribed copies of his books to both Robert and John and to their sister Eunice Shriver. John F. Kennedy later told Life Magazineof his fondness for James Bond, which was enthusiastically quoted on the dust jacket of the US edition of the Spy Who Loved Me, a major boost for Bond’s popularity in America.
On 20 June 1962, Ian Fleming wrote to Robert Kennedy (then Attorney General) “I am delighted to take this opportunity to thank Kennedys everywhere for the electric effect their commendation has had on my sales in America.”
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Moonraker (1955) Inscribed to Raymond Chandler and containing Chandler’s notes
An outstanding association first edition, inscribed by Ian Fleming to the novelist Raymond Chandler “To Field Marshall Chandler from Private Ian Fleming 1955”. Despite the deferential inscription, Fleming’s homage to the writer he admired so greatly, this did not prevent Chandler from reading the book with a critical eye. On the first page of text, Chandler notes in the margin that the Colt Detective Special mentioned in the text has a “2 1/2 barrel” (p. 9). He sums up the first chapter as “All Padding” (p. 18), and a description of Bond’s day on p. 15 as “Bad”. He has added about 24 words in manuscript on the rear flap of the jacket. Chandler did review the book encouragingly in the Sunday Times though.
The inscription is expressive of the remarkable friendship which grew up between the two masters of the thriller, creators of two of the century’s most memorable fictional characters, James Bond and Philip Marlowe. Fleming had long admired Chandler’s work before their first meeting over a dinner in London in May 1955, shortly after the publication of Moonraker, and with Diamonds are Forever completed. Fleming treated him with deference and the two got on well together. Fleming inscribed Moonraker to Chandler in 1955, possibly at this meeting.
This meeting was of enormous consequence to Fleming’s literary career as in March 1955 after completing the manuscript of Diamonds Are Forever, Fleming seemed to have had enough of James Bond. However, Chandler encouraged Fleming, praising the second Bond novel Live and Let Die, and writing a testimonial about the book for Fleming’s publishers. Chandler’s approval seemed to make Fleming quickly decide that his next book, instead of finishing Bond off for good, would go to the opposite extreme. It would be different from any other book he had written, it would have depth and seriousness. Consequently, it can be affirmed that Chandler transformed Moonrakerfrom among the last Bond books to the third of fourteen; Peter Harrington feel that few conceivable copies could be more desirable.
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From Russia with Love Inscribed to Fleming’s Wife Ann (1957)
A first edition, inscribed by Fleming to his wife Ann Charteris, “To Annie, with love and lashes, Ian”, the lashes referring to their sexual preferences.
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Archive for the dust jacket of “For Your Eyes Only” by Richard Chopping (1959 – 1960)
A series of twenty-two autograph and typed letters signed and sent between Ian Fleming, Michael Howard, his agent, and Fleming’s dust-jacket artist of choice, Richard Chopping, documenting the conception and creation of Chopping’s jacket design for Fleming’s For Your Eyes Only. The collection contains a number of drafts and colour palettes for the dust jacket, as well as a final sketch and is housed in a custom-made blue cloth folder.
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You Only Live Twice: Manuscript Notebook (1962)
Fleming’s fascinating small notebook kept while jaunting around Japan in 1962 with Dick Hughes, containing travelogue impressions, hotel and restaurant addresses, schedules, linguistic notes (Moshimoh – hello!), philosophical responses (“[Drawing of a Yin-Yang symbol] Only the good can be bad – only the believer can blaspheme – only the black can be white.”), and most importantly several long passages that he would later incorporate almost verbatim into You Only Live Twice (1964).
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The final typescript of Diamond Are Forever, with Fleming’s revisions (1965-6)
Ian Fleming’s 277 page revised typescript of Diamonds are Forever, with numerous autograph additions. The typescript is peppered throughout with tweaks, written in Fleming’s characteristic blue ballpoint. Many tighten the plot, while some are more minor: a telephone number, for example, gets altered from Wisconsin 9.00456 to Wisconsin 7.3697.
Others add vigour to the prose: when Bond checks himself into the Hotel Astor, Fleming originally wrote “in front of an elderly woman”; but changed it to “before a hatchet-faced woman with a bosom like a sandbag”. On page 88, “too many expense-account customers” becomes “too much expense-account aristocracy”. While most pages contain one or two alterations, more substantial additions appear in eight places.
Chapter 17 was originally called “Bond Forces the Race” but becomes “Thanks for the Ride”. Every now and then the nagging voice of the publisher’s reader can be heard, protesting at one point “but surely the world’s diamond centre is Amsterdam?” This final draft was typed by Fleming’s secretary Ulrica Knowles.
Ian Fleming’s copy of The Boy’s Own Annual (1918)
This copy of the Boy’s Own Annual was published just before the end of the Great War and was given to Ian Fleming, when he was a ten-year-old boy, just after the war ended, by his mother, with the inscription, “Ian, from Mama, Christmas 1918”. Clearly this book, full of stories of adventure and empire, was important to Fleming, and in later years he affixed to it a photograph of himself in naval uniform.
Playback by Raymond Chandler (1958)
A first edition of Raymond Chandler’s last novel inscribed to Fleming by the author “To Ian, with love, Ray”.
EDITOR’S NOTES
IAN FLEMING
Ian Fleming (1908-1964) was an English intelligence officer, journalist, and creator of James Bond. In 1939 he served as a liaison between the Navy and the other secret services, where he was privy to the highest levels of intelligence and became known for his creativity in planning operations, work that inspired his later novels. After the war Fleming became a journalist and in 1953 published his first James Bond novel, Casino Royale. It was a success, and Fleming wrote a new book each year until his untimely death in 1964. Fourteen Bond books were published in total, with the final two The Man with the Golden Gun and Octopussy, published posthumously in 1965 and 1966 respectively.
In addition to the Bond novels, Fleming also published two non-fiction books: The Diamond Smugglers, based on reporting for the Sunday Times, and Thrilling Cities, his impressions of cities in Asia, America, and Europe. Fleming’s only children’s book, Chitty Chitty Bang Bang (1964) was originally written for his son Caspar and, like the Bond novels, was made into a successful film.
BACKGROUND ON PETER HARRINGTON
1969 – Peter Harrington was established and for 50 years has specialised in selling and buying the finest quality original first editions, signed, rare and antiquarian books, fine bindings and library sets. It is now one of the leading rare book firms in the world and since 1991 has catalogued over 125,000 rare books;
1970’s – A successful map and print business was started;
2000 – The Chelsea Bindery was established which offers a traditional leather bookbinding and conservation service and employs some of the finest binders in the world.
SHOPS
100 Fulham Road, Chelsea, London – this four-storey traditional, double-fronted shop, has more than 20,000 volumes and 6,000 prints and old maps;
43 Dover Street, Mayfair, London – this modern and contemporary shop has over 7,000 books arranged over two floors.
The shops are open daily from Monday to Saturday and visitors who want to buy or sell books or just browse are warmly welcomed.
POM HARRINGTON
Pom Harrington has been part of the business for 25 years, having taken over the running of Peter Harrington in 2000. He has surrounded himself with experienced experts, many of whom are internationally known, and are as passionate about books as he is.
