Books

First edition, first impression, first issue, first state, with the gun design on the front cover in gilt. This format, whereby a gilt device was stamped to the front cover, is in line with the binding of other Bond novels, but was abandoned for economic reasons after 940 copies were produced; consequently, it is the scarcest first state of the Bond books. Octavo. Original black boards, spine lettered in gilt, gun design to front cover in gilt, green and white patterned endpapers. With dust jacket. Housed in a black quarter morocco solander box by the Chelsea Bindery. Spine slightly cocked and bumped, small nick to foot, a couple of faint marks to front cover, contents clean; dust jacket sharp, a couple of tiny nicks and creases to extremities, unclipped: a very good copy in near-fine dust jacket. Gilbert A13a(1.1).

The Man with the Golden Gun is the twelfth novel (and thirteenth book) of Ian Fleming's James Bond series. It was first published by Jonathan Cape in the UK on 1 April 1965, eight months after the author's death. The novel was not as detailed or polished as the others in the series, leading to poor but polite reviews. Despite that, the book was a best-seller. The story centers on the fictional British Secret Service agent Commander James Bond, who had been thought dead, only to return to the Secret Service alive and well. In the novel, Bond is sent to assassinate Francisco 'Pistols' Scaramanga, a notorious hitman, who is believed to be responsible for the disappearance of several British intelligence operatives.