LIVE AND LET DIE

First edition, first printing, [first state] of the second James Bond novel. Publisher's original black cloth with bronze titles to the upper board and spine, in the Kenneth Lewis illustrated dustwrapper. A very near fine copy, the binding firm, the cloth bright and fresh. The contents are clean throughout and without inscriptions or stamps. The closed top edge of the text block just a little dusty. Complete with the lightly rubbed correct first state dustwrapper, that has some mild toning to the rear panel and flap edges and is otherwise without fading, loss or tears. Not price-clipped (10s 6d net to both the front and rear flap). A very attractive example in entirely original condition and in its most desirable primary state.

The first issue dustwrapper omits the credit to the dustwrapper artist Kenneth Lewis. This was noticed roughly two thirds of the way through the print-run and the artist credit overprinted onto the flap for the remainder of the first edition. As such there were no more than 5,300 copies of first issue printed. [Gilbert A2a (1.1)].