London: Jonathan Cape, 1954
First edition. First impression. In the first issue dust jacket. A near fine copy, only with slight bumping to the boards. The gilt bright and unfaded. A bookseller’s ticket to the front pastedown. The faintest blemish to the top edge of the outer text block, not affecting the contents. The unclipped dust jacket near fine, only with slight edge wear and a bit of toning and rubbing at the rear panel. A faint touch of damp stain to the verso, not apparent at the front. An uncommonly sharp example overall, wholly unrestored, and scarce in the first issue. Housed in a custom box in calfskin leather over marbled boards. Adapted to film almost two decades later, Live and Let Die was written at Fleming’s Goldeneye estate prior to the publication of what would be first Bond novel, Casino Royale.