UK - Centenary of the birth of author Ian Fleming

I have been a great fan of Ian Flemings novels. I believe I have read everything he has published. As far as the movies based on his novels are concerned, I am a bit selective. I only see or approve of Bond movies starring Sean Connery and only Sean Connery. I have seen some 007 movies portraying other actors, but, none of them do I consider in the same class. This is because I strongly feel that the only actor who aptly portrays the character of James Bond 007 is or rather was Sean Connery. So, when I received this fabulous FDC issued by the UK on the Great man’s centenary, I thought some of you may like to see it too. The FDC was sent to me by Ella.

This stamp issue celebrates the centenary of the birth of author Ian Fleming and the 50th anniversary of the publication of Dr No - the first Bond novel to be filmed. The first James Bond story to be published was Casino Royale in 1953. The issue consists of 6 stamps, the same six stamps in a miniature sheet, and a prestige stamp book. The stamps depict six different books from the series, and each stamp features four editions: beginning with the Jonathan Cape first editions, then running through the UK paperback Pan edition, the US Jove paperback edition and the most recent Penguin paperback edition. This First Day Cover bears the Miniature Sheet created for the Bond novel stamps special issue. All six stamps are included and set in a border taken from one of Fleming’s notebooks. The envelope and insert capture the excitement of the Bond lifestyle through the film poster style graphics of Mike Bell. Not only for serious stamp collectors, this First Day Cover will capture the imaginations of Bond fans, book fans and movie goers. The insert features Mike Bell’s dynamic film poster style artwork. As an alternative to the Tallents House, Edinburgh postmark, pictorial and non-pictorial SE1 postmarks will also be available for this issue. Very appropriate, since London SE1 is the location of the British secret service headquarters. The pictorial details for the connoisseur are given below, stamp valuewise:-

1st class - Casino Royale - Bond’s first adventure (published 1953) pitted him against the ruthless SMERSH (Death to Spies Russian counter intelligence) paymaster Le Chiffre across the gaming table of Royale-les-Eaux. The original Jonathan Cape edition pictured here had a dust jacket designed by Fleming himself. Pan edition, artist unknown; Jove edition, illustration by Barnett Plotkin; Penguin edition cover design by Roseanne Serra and Richie Fahey. First U.S. paperback edition was retitled You Asked for It.

1st class - Dr No - Published in 1958, Dr No pits Bond against the scientist Dr Julius No from his secret base at Crab Key in Jamaica. The Cape edition has a cover by Pat Marriott; Pan edition, artist unknown; Jove edition, illustration by Barnett Plotkin; Penguin edition cover design by Roseanne Serra and Richie Fahey.

54p – Goldfinger - In Goldfinger Bond foils a plot by the gold smuggler Auric Goldfinger to steel Fort Knox’s gold deposits. The Cape book jacket here is designed by Richard Chopping; Pan edition, artist unknown; Jove edition, illustration by Barnett Plotkin; Penguin edition cover design by Roseanne Serra and Richie Fahey

54p - Diamonds are Forever - In Diamonds are Forever Bond takes on the Spangled Mob, a group of American gangsters running a diamond smuggling racket out of Africa to the USA. Cape edition jacket is by Pat Marriott; Pan edition, artist unknown; Jove edition, illustration by Barnett Plotkin; Penguin edition cover design by Roseanne Serra and Richie Fahey.

78p - For Your Eyes Only - Five Bond short stories in one volume. Cape dust jacket designed by Richard Chopping; Pan edition, artist unknown; Jove edition, illustration by Barnett Plotkin; Penguin edition cover design by Roseanne Serra and Richie Fahey

78p - From Russia with Love - In ‘From Russia with Love’ SMERSH hatch a plan to kill Bond using a decoding device and its beautiful operator as bait. Cape edition jacket devised by Ian Fleming and illustrated by Richard Chopping; Pan edition, artist unknown; Jove edition, illustration by Barnett Plotkin; Penguin edition cover design by Roseanne Serra and Richie Fahey.