One of the most internationally celebrated fictional characters of all time, surviving multiple cinematic reincarnations and enjoying numerous literary reboots & spin-offs, James Bond first editions are as enduring & alluring to collectors as the character himself...

Back in the mid-noughties I was fortunate enough to be invited to a high-security Westminster bank vault to evaluate a private collection of inscribed Ian Fleming first editions, a suitably clandestine experience and a rare opportunity to define an author as, literally, 'bankable'.  There are not many authors’ works in first edition that can be defined as relatively safe investments, but Ian Fleming must be amongst that select few.

The ongoing success of the James Bond franchise, combined with a nostalgia for the books & films enjoyed by previous generations, ensures he is a favourite among modern book collectors, and Fleming’s first editions provide an excellent insight into the impact of edition, condition, association and market awareness on value.

Complete set of the James Bond novels

Edition

Serious collectors of Ian Fleming's books tend to focus on James Bond first editions in hardback and dust-jacket. The first three James Bond first editions (Casino Royale, Live and Let Die and Moonraker) were in jackets designed by Kenneth Lewis; Pat Marriott undertook the artwork for the next two titles (Diamonds are Forever and Dr No), before Fleming and the publishers Jonathan Cape finally plumped for Richard Chopping, whose famous allegorical artwork was to adorn the remainder of Fleming's James Bond first editions, up until the posthumous publication of Octopussy and The Living Daylights in 1966.

Identifying first editions is simple enough, as any reissues would indicate the subsequent printing details on the copyright page, and Book Club editions would normally be bound in different colour boards and declare that they were for the Book Club on the title-page.

Special Editions

Special mention should be made of the only official, special edition of a James Bond first edition by Ian Fleming, which is the deluxe edition of On Her Majesty's Secret Service (1963); this was issued simultaneously with the first 'trade edition', but is specially bound in vellum-backed boards in a stated limitation of 250 signed copies (though an additional 35 were produced for presentation), and features a colour portrait of the author by Amherst Villiers. It was also issued in a transparent plastic dust-jacket, the original of which is not always easy to distinguish and again can require the expertise of someone who has seen other copies to correctly identify.

A fine copy of the special edition of James Bond novel On Her Majesty’s Secret Service, one of 250 copies signed by Ian Fleming in original plastic jacket.

Like many collectable authors, there are numerous spin-offs and subsequent editions that appeal to some collectors. Real completists might seek out all the variant issues and uncorrected publisher's proofs for example; others might enjoy hunting down foreign-language editions which sometimes bore alternative artwork, and yet others enjoy hunting the paperback editions, some of which are scarce in their own right, including the intriguing, luridly-titled You Asked for It (a.k.a. Casino Royale) and Too Hot to Handle (a.k.a. Moonraker).

Condition

Condition for most Fleming collectors is paramount, even the later Bond titles in the Richard Chopping dust-jackets can vary wildly in price depending on condition, and the market has become increasingly fussy; compared to 10-15 years ago, browning and moderate age wear to '60s era jackets can now see the value drop to a tenth of what a committed collector might expect to pay for a truly superb example.

In regard to the earlier James Bond first editions, especially the first three titles, finding them in very good+ condition is very difficult, often resulting in collectors accepting copies with some wear to jacket extremities, price-clipping or similar; some collectors prefer to get such jackets restored professionally where possible, though the trend for this goes up & down.

The difference in price can be surprising, Moonraker for example is notorious for dulling to the flame pattern on the jacket, especially at the spine, and as a result genuinely bright, unrestored or tampered with examples can exceed £12,000, even at auction. Compare this to the £5,000-£7,000 you might expect for what would still be otherwise considered a 'very good' example with the usual dulling to the colour and you have an insight into the difference condition can make. Truly exceptional copies of Casino Royale can fetch over £60,000, compared to the c. £30,000 you might pay for a very good, unsophisticated example or a copy with skilful restoration resulting in a copy that still presents very well.

A handsome first edition of the first James Bond book by Ian Fleming; this is the first edition of Casino Royale in the correct first issue dust-jacket.