Record Auction for Rare Set of James Bond Novels

A rare set of James Bond, 007 novels and other memorabilia sold today for a reported $55,800 in Edinburgh, Scotland. The books and memorabilia, which were originally owned by the late Sir Fitzroy Maclean, were purchased by John Gilbert who is writing a book about author Ian Fleming. It is widely believed that the fictional James Bond character is closely modeled by Sir Fitzroy Maclean, who was a soldier and diplomat, and was stationed in Moscow in the late 30’s.

Ian Lancaster Fleming was an author and journalist who served time in the British Navy during World War II. He wrote and is best remembered for writing twelve James Bond novels and nine short stories. Born in Mayfair, London, Fleming was educated at Eton and then went on to the Royal Military Academy at Sandhurst, Munich University and the University of Geneva in Switzerland. While serving in the war he was promoted to Commander. In 1953 he wrote his first James Bond novel, Casino Royale, in which a lot of the background came from his work in the intelligence field.

Sir Fitzroy Maclean was born on March 11, 1911 and served as a soldier and politician. After Eton, he studied at King’s College and Cambridge University. In 1933 he joined the England’s diplomatic service and in 1939 was stationed in Moscow. He used his exploits in Moscow to write an autobiography titled Eastern Approaches. In 1941 he left the Diplomatic Corp and entered the Army as an enlisted man, but later became a commissioned officer. He saw acion in Northern Africa and Yugoslavia. Sir Fitzroy Mclean passed away in June 1996.