FIRST EDITION OF THE FIRST JAMES BOND BOOK
Casino Royale
Cape, 1953.
First edition. 8vo. Original black cloth with red heart vignette on upper cover and titles on the spine, in gun metal grey dustwrapper designed by the author. A near fine copy, with neat inscriptions to the front endpaper and contents page, and a bookplate to the rear pastedown, in a good dustwrapper, which has some small chips to the corners of the spine ends and a couple of closed tears with associated creasing. A copy in well used, but not irredeemable condition but free from any restoration.
The author's first book and the first appearance of James Bond, who has probably had a greater impact on society and popular culture than any other fictitious character since Sherlock Holmes. 4,728 copies of the first impression were printed, although no more than 3,000 were issued in the first state dustwrapper, the remainder having a favourable Sunday Times review overprinted on the front flap. A significant proportion of the first printing would have been sold to libraries and the remainder were well read.
"Ian Fleming has discovered the secret of narrative art... the reader has to go on reading" - John Betjeman (review in The Daily Telegraph).
Gilbert A1a(1.1)
Stock ID: 42274
Sold
We have sold this item, but similar items
may become available in the future
