Fleming, Ian

uncorrected proof copy for the first English edition, marked up for serial publication in three parts in Playboy Magzine, with authorial corrections and revisions in red ink to 53 pages, including changes that do not correspond to corrections made for book publication, and with further extensive corrections and emendations, mostly in pencil, by the copyeditor, including about 16,000 words marked for deletion, three stapled notes marking tripartite division for serial publication, 8vo, 1963-64, loose in original olive printed wrappers, housed in a blue morocco gilt folding box

[with:] Ian Fleming, carbon copy letter, initialled, to Michael Howard of Jonathan Cape Ltd ("...We seem to be having the most tremendous arguments about what is a "Tanka" and what is a "Haiku"..."), 1 page, 5 December 1963; two carbon copy letters by Howard to Fleming, 2 pages, December 1963; two letters by Phyllis Jackson, Fleming's American agent, and two carbon copy letters by Beryl Griffie Williams, all to Playboy, August-December 1963; handwritten and typed notes concerning corrections to the proof, Japanese references, notes on the plot, and cuts for the Playboy edition, 16 pages, late 1963; in total 12 items, each in an individual archival plastic sleeve

Playboy Magazine; Christie's, New York, 17 December 2003, lot 75

Gilbert, A12a

A proof copy incorporating Fleming's final revisions to his penultimate Bond novel. The novel was serialised over three issues in April-June 1964, shortly after the publication of the first edition. This proof copy, sent to Playboy as their copy-text, shows that Fleming continued to revise the text after it was finalised for its initial publication.