This week is the 60th anniversary of the first Bond film, Dr No, which premiered on 5 October 1962. Casino Royale was the first novel by the British author Ian Fleming, published in 1953. With this in mind, I thought I’d post some scans of some of my James Bond books and memorabilia.
Here's a book from 1966 that I bought in Holland and it has a particularly graphic cover by none other than Dick Bruna, famous Dutch author, artist, illustrator and graphic designer; though he is best known as the creator of the rabbit known as Miffy!
The next two novels I found in a bookshop in Cornwall a few years ago. Dr. No is from 1961 with cover art by Pat Owen. The Spy Who Loved Me is from 1962.
This is an American edition that I'd never seen before. I really like the illustration, but I’m not sure of the illustrator’s name, unfortunately. (Update: Thanks to Rodrigo Baeza, and Mark Chiarello for informing me that the cover artist for The Spy Who Loved Me is Barye Phillips.
Next up… From Russia with Love.
These are both from 1962. Cover art by Pat Owen.
It’s interesting to see how James Bond was visualized before the movies.
I have two versions of Moonraker, with a one shilling difference in price. The other has the same 007 strap as For Your Eyes Only and this has the curious rendition of James Bond from 1961.
Another from 1963 with cover art by Pat Owen. FYI, a shilling became 5p after Decimalisation in the UK, beginning Monday 15 February 1971… Decimal Day.
This cover 'For Your Eyes Only' is illustrated by the artist, J. Oval, from 1963.
A pretty dodgy print job on this James Bond special from 1964, though the printing has a certain charm of its own, especially on the interior pages below. Having said that, it was only three shillings and sixpence anyhow!
I don't normally bother with ES magazine when it's handed out at the tube stations, but this issue was dedicated to Bond and a pretty good read. I'm sure I've seen that cover line before though...
Bérénice Marlohe photographed by Gavin Bond (!)
The very classy poster from Skyfall, and from Vogue Italia; a great photo by Greg Williams of Olga Kurylenko from Quantum of Solace, 2008.
The illustrator of the "For Your Eyes Only" cover is Barye Phillips. (Of all the covers you show in your post this was the only I was familiar with, all of the others were new to me.)