James Bond First Editions

Thunderball.

FLEMING, Ian Lancaster (1908-1964).

London: Jonathan Cape, 1961. [Spy thriller] FIRST EDITION, Binding 'A'. Octavo (19 x 13cm), pp.254. Publisher's cloth-effect paper over boards with embossed skeleton hand design to upper board, gilt titles to spine. In dust-wrapper illustrated by Richard Chopping priced at 15s. Slightly dusty, trivial edgewear. A near fine copy in wrapper, housed in an elegant gilt-titled leather-spined clamshell box. 'Thunderball' is one of the most pivotal works of the series. It was in 'Thunderball' that Fleming first introduced the world to the ultimate Bond villian, Ernest Stavro Blofeld. Though Bond and Blofeld never actually meet here, it is in this book that Bond first battles the schemes of SPECTRE, Blofeld's criminal organisation. It is the first part of the so-called 'Blofeld' trilogy, and was followed by 'On Her Majesty's Secret Service' (1963) and 'You Only Live Twice' (1964). The title was filmed in 1965, starring Sean Connery as 007, Claudine Auger as Domino and Adolfo Celi as Emilio Largo — SPECTRE's No.2. The later film 'Never Say Never Again', with Connery again as 007, was loosely based on this story. Item #61265

Price: £1,350.00