Inscribed LIVE AND LET DIE sells for $250,000

A first UK edition of Live and Let Die inscribed by Ian Fleming to Winston Churchill sold today in Sotheby's "James Bond: A Collection of Books and Manuscripts, The Property of a Gentleman" auction for £189,000 ($249,647). This has got to easily be the highest price every paid for a James Bond book.

Ian Fleming's final revised typescript for Diamonds are Forever took £138,600 ($183,074). 

You can browse all the prices realized HERE.

Potter & Potter major Bond book auction April 18

Chicago based auctioneers Potter & Potter are offering a wide selection of first edition Bond books from all authors in their upcoming auction on April 18. Potter & Potter are the leading magic auction specialists so I've had a lot of interaction with them on various Houdini items. They are an excellent auction house and I'm very excited to see them moving into Bond.

CLICK HERE TO VIEW AND BID ONLINE

You can order a catalog or download a free PDF from the Potter & Potter website.

UPDATE: The first edition Casino Royale sold for $19,000. A first edition Live and Let Die took $3,600, Moonraker $2,200, and Diamonds Are Forever $2,800.

Thinning out my JAMES BOND collection

As you can see by this photo of my kitchen cupboard, I have too many dang James Bond books!

Therefore, I've started to thin out my collection on eBay. I've already sold many of my foreign editions and I'm now starting to list English language books as well as games and action figures.

CLICK HERE to browse all my current auctions. I've also placed a button on the right of this blog that will always bring up the latest. I expect this will be a ongoing process, but hopefully I will be able to help fill some holes in other collections.

Thanks!

Here are a few books I currently have listed:

Berlin Escape by Ian Fleming (1 of 80) - SOLD

On Her Majesty's Secret Service by Ian Fleming - Readers Digest - SOLD

From Russia With Love - Ian Fleming - Heron Books (1981) - SOLD

The Devil With James Bond! by Ann S. Boyd - RARE - SOLD

Also:
When The Snow Melts - The Autobiography of Cubby Broccoli - SOLD

Bond and Beyond: The Political Career of a Popular Hero  - SOLD

Adrian Turner on GOLDFINGER - Like New - SOLD
James Bond, The Spy I Loved by Christopher Wood - SOLD
The James Bond Triva Quiz Book
James Bond in The Cinema by John Brosnan - SOLD
Ian Fleming The Man Behind James Bond by Andrew Lycett

Five James Bond novels by John Gardner - NEW! - SOLD

James Bond SeaFire by John Gardner - unique UK edition - SOLD

James Bond 007 Action Man The World Is Not Enough NRFB - SOLD
James Bond Connoisseur's Collection Trading Cards

Two JOHN GARDNER manuscripts at auction

John Gardner's original manuscripts for Brokenclaw and SeaFire are up for sale via Heritage Auctions. Both include handwritten corrections and come from the collection of Gary Firuta.

You can view and bid on Brokenclaw (lot #45416) and SeaFire (lot #45417) at Heritage Live Auctions. The auction ends tomorrow, September 15.

"Tatiana" sells at auction

Stephan Bäckman reports on his excellent James Bond blog that an original painting of Tatiana Romanova by Richard Harvey sold at auction today for $594. Here's the image and description from the Swann auction website.

"Tatiana." Chalk and airbrush on paper showing a voluptuous woman lounging in bed, as James Bond, seen reflected in the mirror above the headboard, dons his robe. 394x559 mm; 15 1/2x22 inches, sight size. Unsigned but with publisher's label on verso. Illustration for "From Russia with Love" by Ian Fleming, published by The Reader's Digest in the 1980s; chosen and exhibited at The Society of Illustrators. Archivally matted and framed.

TRIGGER MORTIS No. 007 sells for $1,368

The limited signed edition of Trigger Mortis No. 007 sold on eBay for $1,368.93 (£878.00). It received 46 bids. The book was part of a set of 1000 limited editions from Goldsboro Books that sold out in pre-orders within a few days in July.

Trigger Mortis No. 007 was held back and auctioned by Goldsboro with 100% of the sale benefiting Save The Children UK.

Trigger Mortis by Anthony Horowitz is available now in hardcover from Orion in the UK (Amazon.co.uk) and Harper Collins in the U.S. (Amazon.com).

You can read my review HERE.

TRIGGER MORTIS No. 007 is being auctioned for charity

Back in July Goldsboro Books in London offered a limited signed and numbered edition of Trigger Mortis by Anthony Horowitz. The 1000 copies sold out in pre-orders within a few days. Well, 999 did. Because one book was held back and is now on eBay. Trigger Mortis No. 007 is being auctioned with 100% of the sale benefiting Save The Children UK.

Click view and bid on Trigger Mortis No. 007.

Trigger Mortis by Anthony Horowitz is available now in hardcover from Orion in the UK (Amazon.co.uk) and Harper Collins in the U.S. (Amazon.com). You can read my review HERE.

Chance to be named in new BOND novel raises £30,000

James Bond author Anthony Horowitz auctioned off an opportunity to be written as a named character in his forthcoming James Bond novel. The prize was offered during a fundraiser for London's Air Ambulance at the East Wintergardens in Canary Wharf. London's Air Ambulance is a charity that delivers an advanced trauma team to critically injured patients in London.

Said the author: "Some writers might simply mention the name of the successful bidder but I intend on doing something rather more. The bidder will appear both by name and by physical characteristics. Aspects of their personality and life will be woven into the story and there's a chance that the character will meet Bond - and perhaps even be killed by him!"

The Bond lot generated the greatest interest and "provoked a furious bidding war" that topped out at £30,000. Horowitz was on hand to greet and congratulate both successful bidders following an unexpected turn in events that resulted in the author agreeing to immortalize both guests in print for their significant donation to the charity.

Anthony Horowitz's James Bond novel, codenamed "Project One", will be released in September 2015.

You can read more details about the book here.

JAMES BOND BENCH on the block, October 7

The James Bond BookBench is going to be auctioned at London's Southbank Centre on Monday October 7th along with the 50 other specialty BookBench sculptures that rolled out across London in summer. All the proceeds will go to the National Literacy Trust.

Tickets can be bought from the Southbank Centre box office. You can also register to bid online. Full details are available at the Books About Town website.

Near fine first edition CASINO ROYALE sells for $40,461

A first edition of Ian Fleming's Casino Royale, judged to be in Near Fine condition, sold today at Dreweatts & Bloomsbury auction of Modern Literature for £19,500 + 24% buyers premium. This adds up to $40,461 in U.S. dollars.

This might be a record for an unsigned Casino Royale. Certainly condition had everything to do with the final sales price. (Although judging by the auction photo, I still believe my own copy to be in better condition, and I might need to consider selling. Just saying.)

The auction also sold several other Ian Fleming firsts, including a Live And Let Die for $13,486 (including premium). You can check out the full list HERE.

Want the new YOUNG BOND novel dedicated to YOU?

Would you like to see your name in a James Bond book? Here's your chance. Authors for the Philippines is hosting a charity auction to raise money for the Red Cross Typhoon Haiyan Appeal and one of the items up for bid is the dedication in Steve Cole's first Young Bond novel due out in Fall 2014.

View auction here.

The bid currently stands at £745. Bidding ends at 8pm (GMT) on 20th November. CLICK HERE TO BID.

DIAMONDS ARE FOREVER manuscript sells for £97,250

An original manuscript for the James Bond novel Diamonds Are Forever with Ian Fleming's handwritten corrections sold for £97,250 ($158,000) at Sotheby's auction of "English Literature, History, Children’s Books & Illustrations" on December 12.

The manuscript was Lot 111 and had carried an estimate of £50,000 - £80,000. The final price includes a Buyer's Premium.

The manuscript had been owned by Fleming's typist, Ulrica Knowles, and had remained in her family until 2008. According to the auction, among the many revisions in the manuscript is the fact that the book's hoodlum "Dolly" Kidd is called "Boofy" Gore throughout (the name was changed following the objection of Fleming's former schoolfriend from whom the name was taken).

Diamonds Are Forever was Ian Fleming's fourth James Bond novel and was first published by Jonathan Cape on March 26, 1956.

LINK: Rare James Bond manuscript with Ian Fleming notes to fetch £80,000

The Telegraph reports that a rare manuscript of the James Bond novel Diamonds Are Forever featuring Ian Fleming's handwritten corrections could fetch as much as £80,000 when it goes up for auction at Sotheby's on December 12. Click the headline to read.

UPDATE: DIAMONDS ARE FOREVER manuscript sells for £97,250.

First edition of LIVE AND LET DIE sells for $21,258

(Source: WhatSellsBest.com) - A rare first edition of Ian Fleming's, James Bond, Live and Let Die fetched $21,258 (£13,750) soaring well above its high-estimate ($6,000/£4,000) at a recent Christie's auction.

Live and Let Die, was the second novel in Fleming's James Bond series. It was first published in the UK by Jonathan Cape on April 5th, 1954. Copies in good condition are in-demand by collectors.

This particular book was described by Christie's as; "(a) First edition of the second bond novel, in an attractive example of the first issue dust jacket, with the price '10s.6d. Net' and blurb on the front flap, and without any credit for the jacket design."

Live and Let Die had an initial print run of only 7,500 copies, which quickly sold-out after its April release in 1954. Because of the small supply, and the amount of time that has passed (58 years for this particular book), it's very rare to find a first-run copy in excellent condition with the original dust jacket still intact.

Thanks to James Massey for the tip.

The SILVER BEAST has been saved!

According to our friends at From Sweden With Love, the promotional Saab 900 Turbo from the John Gardner era, "The Silver Beast", will remain in Trollhättan, Sweden as part of the intact Saab Museum collection. As we reported last week, the entire collection had been put up for auction as part of Saab's recent bankruptcy. But according to a post on the From Sweden With Love Facebook page...

"We have just received the good news that all cars in the SAAB museum (incl. "Silver Beast", the SAAB 900 Turbo as driven by James Bond in John Gardners first three novels) will remain in Trollhättan, Sweden. 500 offers from all over the world came in but thanks to the local community, Saab AB (the defense and security company) and the Wallenberg family (who used to own the car factory), the museum will be intact. The entities mentioned paid 28 Million SEK for the entire lot and rescued a piece of Swedish industrial history from being departed all over the world."

Great news for Bond fans, Saab fans, and the city of Trollhättan!

Click here to read the story of: Bond's Beast - When OO7 Drove Saab.

James Bond's SILVER BEAST is for sale

UPDATE: It appears the city of Trollhättan has prevailed and the collection, including The Silver Beast, has been saved!

The promotional replica of James Bond's famous Saab -- the "Silver Beast" -- is going on the auction block along with the contents of Saabs motor museum in Trollhättan, Sweden. The sale is part of Saab's recent bankruptcy.

James Bond drove the Saab in the first three John Gardner continuation novels, License Renewed, For Special Services, and Icebreaker. It's always been a favorite Bond vehicle of mine (check out my overview of the car here), especially as I had my own "Saab 007" in the '80s. Wish I could buy it!

Click to enlarge

The car is noted as being as being "a little rusty, will not start, not in a good condition." Mileage is 60,417. However, it does come equipped with the original bulletproof glass, smokescreen equipment, and digital head-ups instrument display from the Saab 37 Viggen fighter and attack aircraft.

Bids are being accepted until this Friday. However, my tipster tells me there's a chance that the collection and museum could be purchased and saved by the City of Trollhättan and the local municipality.

You can find details of the sale and full auction catalog here.

Thanks to Rikard Andersson for bringing me the news and translation.

IAN FLEMING'S naval jacket to be auctioned Nov 22

A naval jacket worn by James Bond creator Ian Fleming during World War II will be auctioned at Bonhams in London on November 22, 2011. Here is the full description from the Bonhams auction website.

Lot No: 461
FLEMING (IAN)
Naval jacket worn by Fleming during the Dieppe Raid of 1942, whilst he was serving in the Naval Intelligence Division, a double-breasted navy blue jacket with deep red lining, eight buttons, stretched fabric collar and pocket trims; together with the accreditation card of John F.C. Bryce, as a foreign correspondent on the North American Newspaper Alliance, SIGNED BY FLEMING in his capacity as European Vice-President (2) 

Estimate: £5,000 - 7,000, € 5,800 - 8,100

Footnote:
COMMANDER FLEMING'S NAVAL JACKET. At the outbreak of war Ian Fleming joined the Naval Intelligence Division, where he was "quickly promoted from lieutenant to commander. He liaised on behalf of the director of naval intelligence with the other secret services. One of few people given access to Ultra intelligence, he was responsible for the navy's input into anti-German black propaganda" (ODNB). Primarily based at the Admiralty's Room 39, Fleming accompanied the allied troops as an observer on the "Dieppe Raid", an assault on the German held port carried out on 19 August, 1942.

Provenance: Gifted by Ian Fleming to Ivar Bryce, a friend since his school days at Eton. Fleming dedicated Diamonds Are Forever to him and borrowed his middle name (Felix) for James Bond's best friend, CIA agent Felix Leiter. The dust-jacket of Diamonds featured an illustration of a diamond known as "Afghanistan" which belonged to Ivar's third wife Jo Bryce, and many of the local names in the book are based on Bryce's farm in Vermont where Fleming was a regular visitor; Bryce's niece Janet married David Mountbatten, third Marquess of Milford Haven, and the jacket is being sold by his great nephew, Lord Ivar Mountbatten.

Exhibited: For Your Eyes Only: Ian Fleming and James Bond Exhibition, Imperial War Museum, April 2008-March 2009.

The auction also includes two first editions of Casino Royale (Lots 456 & 457). Auction estimates are between £4000 and £8000 per book.

UPDATE/RESULTS: The jacket sold for £13,750 ($21,417). The better condition Casino Royale also sold for £13,750 ($21,417). The other Casino grabbed £4,750 ($7,399).

Casino Royale first edition sells for £19,000

BBC News reports that a first edition of Ian Fleming's first James Bond book, Casino Royale, has sold for £19,000 ($29,389) at an auction in South Cerney, Gloucestershire.

The 1953 book, which sold for £4,000 more than expected, was the top lot at a sale. A copy of Live and Let Die went for £6,600, and a copy of Moonraker sold for £7,200.

Auctioneer Dominic Winter said "the strikingly colourful" Bond first editions had "always been one of the surest certainties over the last 30 years."

It is thought the highest price for a Bond first edition was £22,750 for a signed copy of From Russia With Love at Bloomsbury Auctions in London in 2004.

A signed first edition of Casino Royale sold for £20,000 at Bloomsbury in 2007.

DR. NO comic sells for £142 in auction

DC Comics 1962 tie-in comic to the first James Bond film, Dr. No, has sold for £142 in auction.

The 47-year-old comic was one of 700 comic lots sold by Cameo Auctioneers in London, and was snapped up by a Bond fan. Adrian Cowdry, film memorabilia and comic consultant to Cameo, said the magazine, part of DC Comics' Showcase anthology series, was the first time a Bond film had been seen in comic form.

Mr Cowdry said: "This Dr No comic is extremely rare and in impeccable condition given it is nearly 50 years old. It is a 'must-have' for fans of James Bond, Ian Fleming or Sean Connery."

He added: "The comic was aimed at reaching the comic reading masses. Hundreds were printed but in those days very few people thought comics would be worth keeping. Kids read them then give them to friends or threw them out, or their parents would put them on the coal fire."

Signed Casino Royale fetches £20,000

A signed first edition of Ian Fleming's Casino Royale sold for £20,000.00 ($40,576.00) in a Bloomsbury auction. The book carried the inscription: "To / the power behind / the publishers' throne! / from / the author / May 1953". The auction recieved 15 bids.

A second unsigned copy fetched £5,500.00 ($11,158.40). This is somewhat low for a Casino first, which typically sell for between £10,000-£15,000. Even though the auction described the book as being in "Fine" condition, the dust jacket did have several small tears which may explain the lower price.