First impression of the first James Bond book featuring his classic nemesis, Ernst Blofeld.
Near fine in a near fine jacket.
Price: $1,800.00
"Of all James Bond's adversaries, the Chief of SPECTRE casts the darkest shadow." (front flap)
This book was the first in what would become known as the "Blofeld Trilogy," named after its ultra-villain crime boss, a Cold War-era update on Sherlock Holmes's Moriarty. Set in the Bahamas and later made into one of the most memorable of the Sean Connery Bond films, THUNDERBALL was in fact conceived from the start as a film: Fleming had already written a version of it as a screenplay with two others – who then attempted to stop the publication of THUNDERBALL for breach of copyright. The protracted court case would eventually lead to the phrase "based on the screen treatment by Kevin McClory, Jack Whittingham, and Ian Fleming" on the title page of later impressions. A remarkably clean copy.
Read more: Gilbert, Ian Fleming: The Bibliography, A9a 1.1; Lycett, Ian Fleming.
First edition. London: Jonathan Cape, (1961). 7.25'' x 4.75''. Original dark grey/brown cloth, gilt-lettered in gold to spine, blind-stamped skeletal hand vignette on front board (Gilbert binding A). In original price-clipped color pictorial dust jacket designed by Richard Chopping. Plain endpapers. 254, [2] pages. Bit of toning to top and bottom edges of jacket flaps. Minor edgewear, two tiny closed tears along top edge of rear panel. Touches of wear, shelfsoil at extremities. Overall, bright and sound.
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