Signed Casino Royale estimated at $40,000

A signed and inscribed edition of Ian Fleming's Casino Royale, which introduced the world to James Bond, 007, will be the star at the Heritage Grand Format Rare Books Auction on October 16-17.

Tantalisingly inscribed by Fleming himself, the novel is estimated to sell for $40,000.

"To M," he wrote - alluding to his novel's fictional head of the Secret Service - "these pages are from my memoirs! Ian."

Incredibly, Heritage's auction features not just one Bond book signed by Fleming, but six.

"We would normally be thrilled to have even one signed Ian Fleming first edition Bond book in any auction," said James Gannon, Director of Rare Books at Heritage Auctions.

"But here we have not only the first Bond book signed and inscribed, but also the second, Live and Let Die (estimate at $25,000), the fifth, From Russia With Love ($22,000), the seventh and ninth, Goldfinger ($14,000) and Thunderball ($12,000), and the 11th, On Her Majesty's Secret Service ($10,000).

"Every one of them [are] first editions and every one of them signed by Fleming."

Heritage's auction will also include a rare first edition of The Federalist: A Collection of Essays, Written in Favour of the New Constitution, written by Alexander Hamilton, James Madison and John Jay in 1787.

The Federalist papers are regarded as the most important set of writings to come out of pre-Revolutionary War American, and were crucial in establishing the emerging US government. The starting bid is $12,500.

The auction will be held at Heritage Auction Galleries, 3500 Maple Avenue, Dallas, Texas 75219.

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