JAMES BOND 007 MAGAZINE | James Bond News - Ian Fleming Centenary 2008

100 Years Not Out!
GRAHAM RYE reports on various happenings in London relating to the celebrations surrounding the centenary of James Bond author Ian Fleming. PHOTOGRAPHS/GRAHAM RYE

Tuesday 22 April 2008
Having been tied up with media enquires through the previous week that spilled over into the following Monday, I found myself unable to attend the black-tie charity reception at The Fleming Gallery, but was kindly invited to attend the private show the next evening. After already strolling around The Imperial War Museum exhibition twice in one week could there be anything else left to see that would sate the seemingly insatiable thirst for all things Fleming/Bond? I was not to be disappointed; Bond Bound: Ian Fleming & The Art of Cover Design was a delight to behold. Having followed the evolution of Bond imagery in publishing since the age of 11, I was delighted to discover a further cache of treasure on offer in Berkeley Street W1. As at The Imperial War Museum the week before, members of the Fleming family were out in force to show their support, together with the staff of Ian Fleming Publications, including Ian Fleming’s literary agent Peter Janson-Smith (and ex-IFP Chairman), YOUNG BOND author Charlie Higson, EON Productions’ archivist Meg Simmonds, and a multitude of other art lovers.

By the way, if you read a couple of column inches in Londoner’s Diary in The Evening Standard stating that Barbara Broccoli was due to host the black-tie charity evening at The Fleming Collection but failed to show up, along with new Bond author Sebastian Faulks, then you probably won’t be surprised to learn that like James Bond, this was also a work of complete fiction!

Taittinger display at The Fleming Collection

Corrine Turner watches William Smith introduce the evening

ABOVE: (left) Taittinger, one of the exhibition sponsors, were featured in an attractive display at The Fleming Collection (top right) IFPs Corinne Turner watches as Fleming-Wyfold art foundation trustee William Smith introduces the evening (bottom right) Ex IFP Chairman Peter Janson-Smith.

YOUNG BOND author Charlie Higson in Bond pose

Bond Bound Ian Fleming and the art of cover design

ABOVE: (top left) YOUNG BOND author Charlie Higson in front of Renato Fratini's UK Quad poster for From Russia With Love (1963) which features the iconic gun-across-chest image of Sean Connery as James Bond 007 (top right) YOUNG BOND artwork by Kev Walker, signed by the artist and author Charlie Higson (centre right) DOUBLE OR DIE artwork by Kev Walker (bottom left) Among members of the Fleming family attending the evening were Ian's nephew Fergus, seen chatting here with the Bond author's great niece Kate Grimond (bottom right) Original artwork for the first paperback edition [1955] of CASINO ROYALE (1953) featuring what was probably the first published drawing of James Bond.