Chitty Chitty Bang Bang: The Magical Car.

FLEMING, Ian. [Roald Dahl].

$12,000.00

Item Number: 146992

1964-65: Jonathan Cape Ltd, London.

First editions of all three volumes of Fleming’s rare children’s novel. Octavo, three volumes, original pictorial boards, pictorial endpapers, illustrated by John Burningham. Adventure Number One is signed by Roald Dahl who co-wrote the screenplay for the 1968 film adaptation opposite the half-title page, very good in a very good price-clipped dust jacket. Adventure Number Two is very good in a very good in a very good price-clipped dust jacket. Adventure Number Three is from the collection of Harry Saltzman, who co-produced the first nine James Bond films with Albert R. Broccoli. Housed in a custom green cloth slipcase. Rare and desirable signed.

Fleming, better known as the creator of James Bond, took his inspiration for Chitty-Chitty-Bang-Bang from a series of aero-engined racing cars called "Chitty Bang Bang", built by Louis Zborowski in the early 1920s at Higham Park. Fleming had known Higham Park as a guest of its later owner, Walter Whigham, chairman of Robert Fleming & Co. It was the last book he wrote and he did not live to see it published. The series was loosely adapted as a 1968 film of the same name with a screenplay by Roald Dahl and Ken Hughes; a subsequent novelisation was also published. The film was produced by Albert R. Broccoli, co-producer of the James Bond film series.