Goldfinger by FLEMING, Ian; CHOPPING, Richard, artist

London: Jonathan Cape, 1959. "Do you expect me to talk? No, Mr. Bond, I expect you to die!" FLEMING, Ian. Goldfinger. London: Jonathan Cape, [1959]. First edition, first impression, first issue second state, Binding 'A'. Octavo (7 3/8 x 5 inches; 188 x 127 mm.). 318 pp. Publisher's black cloth effect paper over boards, front cover with a blind-stamped skull and gilt coins in the eye sockets, spine lettered in gilt, plain endpapers. First impression, first issue, first state publisher's (unclipped) dust jacket designed by Richard Chopping. Binding very lightly 'cocked', small lower marginal stain between pp. 236 & 237, otherwise an excellent copy in a very good dust jacket, spine slightly darkened and a few very small closed edge tears. Goldfinger is the seventh novel in Ian Fleming's James Bond series, first published in the UK by Jonathan Cape on 23 March 1959. Goldfinger originally bore the title The Richest Man in the World and was written in January and February 1958. The story centers on the investigation by MI6 operative James Bond into the gold smuggling activities of Auric Goldfinger, who is also suspected by MI6 of being connected to SMERSH, the Soviet counter-intelligence organization. As well as establishing the background to the smuggling operation, Bond uncovers a much larger plot, with Goldfinger planning to steal the gold reserves of the United States from Fort Knox. Gilbert, A7a.1.2.