Ian Fleming’s Casino Royale ‘only to be read and burnt’ on sale for £95k | Books | Entertainment

Fleming gave the handsomely-bound edition of Casino Royale to the family of the boss who gave him the time off to write it. He was working as a foreign news manager for Kemsley Newspapers when Viscount Kemsley agreed he could have every January and February off. Fleming, who retreated to his Jamaican home Goldeneye to write, emerged with his book.

He sent the 1953 edition to the Viscount’s son Anthony, including the handwritten inscription: “To Tony, read & burn. Ian”

Only 4,760 first editions of Casino Royale were printed, with Fleming’s inscription making this copy particularly desirable.

The book comes in its original heart-covered dust jacket and is being sold by London-based dealer Peter Harrington.

A Peter Harrington spokesman said: “Signed and inscribed copies of Fleming’s first Bond novel are in themselves highly coveted.

“In this instance the association is particularly charming, showing a relationship instrumental in the creation of the character and his legacy.”

Fleming went on to write a total of 14 novels, with more than 100 million copies sold.