Richard Chopping

A final proof of the cover art for Ian Fleming's James Bond novel Goldfinger, by Richard Chopping, signed by the artist.

• Richard Chopping (British, 1917-2008).
• Commissioned by the publisher, Jonathan Cape.
• This work is presented framed.

The proof is believed to be one of fewer than ten copies. It features the iconic trompe l’oeil skull embedded with $20 gold coin eye sockets together with a rose stem beneath the skull’s teeth, and is signed in pencil by Richard Chopping (1917-2008), who designed a number of James Bond first edition book covers. The proof is lighter in color to the final dust wrapper artwork finally used by Cape. The piece was commissioned by UK publisher Jonathan Cape and is custom-framed in a light oak satin-wood frame.

“The Chopping jacket was a tremendous success, both in England and America, and from that day on he and I and Michael Howard of Cape’s have devised all the James Bond jackets, which have now become something of a hallmark with the book trade and have earned prizes for Cape’s.” Ian Fleming (1964).