Chitty Chitty Bang Bang: The Magical Car.

FLEMING, Ian. [Roald Dahl].

$1,500.00

Item Number: 146724

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. Each are near fine in very good to near fine dust jackets with the final two volumes price-clipped. A sharp set.

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.