Ian Fleming

First impression of the fourth James Bond book, in which the spy must infiltrate a smuggling ring in the black market diamond trade.

• Ian Fleming (British).
• London: Jonathan Cape, 1956. 
• 257, [1] pages.
• In original unclipped (12s. 6d. net) pictorial dust jacket designed by Pat Marriott. 
• Bound in original black textured cloth blind-stamped in harlequin pattern with silver-stamped diamond vignette in center of front board, silver-lettered spine.
• Housed in custom quarter black goatskin clamshell box. 

Well-connected Fleming made use of friends in both the diamond trade and the International Diamond Security Organization to research this book. The jacket design depicts Bond's love interest and a major player in the book, Tiffany Case; designer Pat Marriott would follow a similar formula in depicting the love interest, Honeychile Rider, on the jacket of Dr. No. This early Bond novel also contains the first mention of the name "Spectre," which would morph in later books into the organization of the spy's great nemesis, Ernst Blofeld.

Gilbert, Ian Fleming: The Bibliography, A4a 1.1.

Lycett, Ian Fleming.