Duke’s Auctioneers sold a collection of letters from James Bond author-creator Ian Fleming in their “Important Paintings and Furniture” live auction event yesterday. The event, running April 10-11, 2008 also includes “original works by George Stubbs, Pablo Picasso, Alfred Munnings; signed prints by Matisse and Andy Warhol, and other watercolours, sketches and oils spanning the 18th to 20th centuries”.
Here is the photo and description for lot 430:
High Resolution Archive: Ian Fleming Personal Letters
IAN FLEMING: A collection of four autographed letters by Ian Fleming to Jean Frampton including a letter dated 31st March 1960 I have written a full-length James Bond story originally called Thunderball …… Jean Frampton typed Ian Fleming s manuscripts and appears to have offered advice on a number of occasions. Other documents relate to Live and Let Die A View to a Kill and other Bond novels (a lot). See illustration £1000-2000
The lot realized £14,340 at auction, far exceeding the estimate.
Per BBC News, “Fleming’s ‘Moneypenny Revealed” and “Fleming Letters Raise Thousands“, the letters “reveal a close relationship with his typist Jean Frampton”. More can be learned of these letters at MI6.co.uk (“Ian Fleming Letters Auction“) and 007magazine.co.uk (“Duke’s to auction a collection of Ian Fleming correspondence“). In all, the set included four signed letters by Fleming as well as letters from Beryl Griffie-Williams, Una Trueblood and Frampton.
James Bond related memorabilia has continued to fetch high prices at auction in recent years.
This time last year (see “Casino Royale Bond Watches Sell at Public Auction“), three Omega watches sold at auction by Antiquorum realized $58,500 (The Seamaster worn by Daniel Craig in Casino Royale), $209,000 (The Planet Ocean worn by Craig in the same film), and $68,050 (The Seamaster worn by Pierce Brosnan in Tomorrow Never Dies.
In December 2007, Christie’s sold a suit worn by Pierce Brosnan in Goldeneye for approximately $40,000 (see “Christies Film & Entertainment Memorabilia Auction – South Kensington, December 19, 2007 – Auction Results“).
In last month’s “The Pugliese Pop Culture Collection” auction hosted by Guernsey’s, the Odd Job hat from Goldfinger realized $134,750 (see “Guernsey’s “Pugliese Pop Culture Auction” Held Yesterday, Today“).
Highlights of Christie’s sale of artifacts from Bapty’s a year earlier in December 2006 (see Christies.com) included the PP pistol used by Sean Connery in Dr. No for $106,000, the PPK used by Pierce Brosnan in Goldeneye for $52,000, and the Webley flare gun used by Connery in From Russia With Love for $45,000.
2008 marks Ian Fleming’s centenary, 100 years since his birth. The life and work of Fleming will be celebrated with the exhibition: “Imperial War Museum – For Your Eyes Only: Ian Fleming and James Bond” in London running from April 18, 2008 to March 1, 2009, along with a tie-in book by Ben Mcintyre to be release at the end of this month. The new James Bond novel by Sabastian Faulks, “Devil May Care”, is set for release May 28th. Of course, the next Bond film, Quantum of Solace, is due for theatrical release this November.
Jason De Bord