Binding: Hardcover
Book Condition: Fine in Near Fine dust jacket
Edition: First Edition; First Printing
Size: 8vo
Publisher: Jonathan Cape, 1953, London

[Book #14982]

A stunning First Edition/First Impression in Fine condition in first state dustwrapper, minute shades of rubbing, spine with hint of fading, much brighter than observed on the few remaining copies with wrapper. Contains all first state points, rear panel has pencil drawing of Ian Fleming by Bartlett, with blurb about Fleming's life below. Front flap has blurb with jacket credit immediately below. No Times review. Rear flap is blank but for title, author, Cape & price of 10s 6d in bottom left corner. Said to be a print run of less than 4,750 copies, a large number of which about half went to public libraries. Rare in this condition, a legendary piece of movie and spy novel history. Housed in custom made clam-shell case;

Ian Fleming's legendary first James Bond novel, released on 13th April, 1953, with monsieur Le Chiffre, the treasurer of a Soviet-backed trade union in the Alsace-Lorraine region of France, running a baccarat game in the casino at Royale-les-Eaux, France, in order to recover union money he lost in a failed chain of brothels.

Basis for the 21st Bond movie with Daniel Craig and Eva Green as Bond Girl Vesper Lynd