1961 – James Bond, Thunderball – Ian Fleming | First Edition, First Printing

The James Bond series focuses on a fictional character created in 1953 by writer Ian Fleming (1908 – 1964), who featured him in twelve novels and two short-story collections. ‘Thunderball’ was written in 1961 centering around the theft of two atomic bombs. ‘Thunderball’ was released in 1965 with Sean Connery as James Bond, and the second adaptation, ‘Never Say Never Again,’ was released as an independent production in 1983 also starring Connery as Bond.

Thunderball represented a new departure [for the Bond series], with the introduction of SPECTRE and of Ernst Blofeld, a commanding villain who was to reappear. This gave a measure of continuity to the later Bond novels Thunderball worked well as an adventure story the theme of the theft of atom bombs seemed pertinent and modern (Black, 49, 55)

This 1961 first edition includes the embossed skeletal handprint on the front cover board.

Bibliographic Details

• Title: Thunderball
• Author(s): Ian Fleming
• Publisher: London, Jonathan Cape
• Edition: First Edition, First Printing, 1961.
• Binding: Black cloth hardcover
• Format: (8vo), single volume
• Size:  7.75 x 5.25 in (20 x 13 cm)
• Collation: 253, [1] pp
• References: Black, The Politics of James Bond, pp. 49, 55
• Contents Include:
  • Thunderball full text

Condition:

Near Fine. Black cloth binding remains tight and secure. Original dust jacket present with light wear and minor staining to inner flaps. Pages are clean throughout. Embossed skeletal handprint on front cover remains well preserved.

Why Collect This?

• First edition, first printing of Thunderball
• Retains original dust jacket

Item Number: # 50559