Before James Bond became one of the longest-running film franchises in history, 007 began life on the page. The iconic spy was the creation of Ian Fleming, who wrote 14 books starring the character. Other authors have picked up the mantle since Fleming’s time, but there will always be a substantial amount of interest in the original author’s works, as they serve as the origin for one of pop culture’s greatest characters. As fans await to see how Amazon MGM Studios’ upcoming movie reboot pans out, they might look to fill the time by reading some James Bond adventures. For those interested, the ultimate 007 book collection is now on sale — but it’ll set you back quite a bit.
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Bonhams has a listing for the complete works of Ian Fleming, a set that includes 18 books. In addition to the 14 James Bond books, there’s non-fiction book The Diamond Smugglers, the travelogue Thrilling Cities, the children’s book Chitty-Chitty-Bang-Bang, and a collection of short stories and journalism pieces called Talk of the Devil. As of this writing, the valuation of the set is $27,000-40,000. Bids will be open until tomorrow, so act fast if you’re interested.
Why The Ian Fleming Box Set Is So Expensive
The James Bond books, including the ones written by Fleming, have remained in print for decades. Since the novels are still so easily attainable, fans might be surprised to see this set selling for such a large amount of money. However, there are some key details that explain why it’s such a coveted item. This is a special edition of Fleming’s collected works; it’s one of only 56 that were produced. It’s among the group of 26 lettered A-Z. The one up for auction is lettered T. So, this is a very rare item that collectors would love to get their hands on.
The rarity illustrates why people are willing to bid so much for it. We’ve seen in other auctions ranging from everything to movie props to action figure prototypes that the rarer something is, the higher the price is. A great deal of effort and attention to detail went into crafting the set as well. Per the auction listing, each book features “pictorial dark blue morocco gilt binding” with individual designs that connect to the themes of the book. So not only is this a great way to get all of Fleming’s written works together, the packaging is pristine, allowing the books to look beautiful on display.
The set is also a testament to the enduring legacy of James Bond. Fleming’s Casino Royale was published back in 1953 and the IP is still one of the premier brands in the entertainment industry. It’s rare for something to have that kind of staying power across several decades. Obviously, the movies played a significant role in that, as Bond is constantly being reinvented for new generations of audiences. But everything can be traced back to Fleming’s novels, which established the foundation on which the franchise is built. If the books were not as popular, there probably wouldn’t have been a Bond film series to begin with.
As the James Bond film series begins a new era, it’ll be interesting to see if any of Fleming’s books serve as the basis for an upcoming movie. Most of Fleming’s Bond novels have been directly adapted for the big screen, but a director could attempt to put a fresh spin on a classic story. After all, Casino Royale was Daniel Craig’s first outing as 007, with the film updating the tale to modern times. Odds are, Amazon’s films will stick to original narratives, but Fleming’s Bond books are so timeless that perhaps some elements could be incorporated.
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