London: Jonathan Cape, 1953. First edition. Inscribed by the author on the front free endpaper: "Jackie, to read in the train, from the author." In the first issue dust jacket, without the Sunday Times review on the front flap. Fleming’s first novel and the creation of James Bond had an initial print run of 4,760 copies, of which 4,728 were bound up. “Many of these went to public libraries and we believe that less than half of the first printing was sold to the public” (Biondi & Pickard).

A Very Good copy in like dust jacket (supplied). Octavo. Original black boards, spine lettered in red, heart device on front cover in red, lower edge untrimmed. Housed in custom black folding box. Light foxing to edges and outer leaves; jacket unclipped, lightly toned, minor restoration to spine ends and extremities, rear panel faintly foxed.

Casino Royale was Fleming’s first novel and the origin of James Bond. The novel follows Bond as he attempts, over a game of cards, to ruin evil banker and KGB member Le Chiffre. Along with the iconic spy in the leading role, the book also introduces the characters of Vesper Lynd and Felix Leiter. Fleming wrote the book at a furious pace – it took only two months – from his estate in Jamaica. The idea for the novel came to Fleming from his own experience serving in the Naval Intelligence Division of the Admiralty during World War II. During his employment, he traveled to Portugal, which had become a haven for spies from both the Axis and the Allies. As the story goes, Fleming lost a great deal of money playing cards against a high-level German spy; he later incorporated the experince into Casino Royale.

The novel inspired a 1967 comedy, starring David Niven, Woody Allen, and Orson Welles as well as a more faithful (and very popular) 2006 adaptation with Daniel Craig as Bond, Eva Green as Vesper, and Mads Mikkelsen as Le Chiffre.

Biondi & Pickard 40; Gilbert A1a (1.1) Very Good in Very Good dust jacket. (Item #8175)