Ian Fleming | The Man With the Golden Gun, 1965, first edition, first state

Ian Fleming

The Man with the Golden Gun. London: Jonathan Cape, 1965

FIRST EDITION, FIRST IMPRESSION, FIRST ISSUE, first state, 8vo (189 x 127mm.), original dark brown cloth (Linson), gilt gun on upper cover, spine lettered in gilt, green and white endpapers, DUST-JACKET, front free endpaper with ballpoint inscription and light spotting at outer margin, binding slightly rubbed with dampstain to lower board, dust-jacket with slight browning and minor chips at extremities, slight paper loss from adhesive on inside of back flap

THE RARE FIRST ISSUE STATE WITH A GOLDEN GUN ON THE UPPER COVER. "According to the publisher's book production files, it is apparent that the cost of blocking each copy with the required amount of Nuvap [gilding]... was prohibitive... The decision to cease stamping a golden gun was purely economical" (Gilbert). About 940 copies were produced with this binding, and most were sent to Commonwealth countries as the earliest available copies produced had to be sent overseas to meet publication dates.

LITERATURE:

Gilbert A13a (1.1)