SET 3 IAN FLEMING CHITTY CHITTY BANG BANG 1stDJs SIGNED Start Price USD 699.99 Current Price USD 699.99 Time Left - Bid Count 0 Buy It Now Price - Reserve Price - Start Time Friday, November 14, 2008 End Time Friday, November 21, 2008 Location Anchorage, AK See more about 'SET 3 IAN FLEMING CHITTY CHITTY BANG BANG 1stDJs SIGNED' Description ITEM DESCRIPTION: This auction is for ALL 3 original UK Jonathan Cape Ian Fleming (artwork by John Burningham) CHITTY CHITTY BANG BANG BOOKS (Adventure Number 1, Adventure Number 2, and Adventure Number 3) illustrated hardcovers (boards have same image as appears on the DJs), green and black illustrated endpapers.  ALL THREE BOOKS ARE FIRST PRINTINGS WITH PROPER POINTS (no references to later printings on the 4-line block of text at bottom of copyright pages - later printings have a reference to being a reprint on the 2nd of 5 lines on the bottom of the copyright pages - these books do not have that extra line), all 3 DJs have blank rear flaps CONFIRMING THAT THEY ARE 1ST STATE DUST JACKETS (later state DJs have ISBN numbers on the rear flaps), 10s 6d net price on DJ front flap on #3 only (other 2 DJs are price clipped).   Included in this auction is a 4th Chitty Chitty UK 1st printing (includes all 3 books in one volume), republished by Puffin books in 2008, stated 1st printing on copyright page, book was flat signed (not inscribed to a person) by the Illustrated John Burningham on pre-title page.  Book and DJ are "as new" - no damage to DJ and no former ownership markings inside book - book has clearly never been rear.   IAN FLEMING WROTE THIS STORY WHILE RECOVERING FROM HIS FIRST HEART ATTACK.  BECAUSE IT WAS GOING TO TAKE THE ILLUSTRATOR A WHILE TO DO ALL OF THE ILLUSTRATIONS, CAPE DECIDED TO PUBLISH THE STORY IN 3 SEPARATE VOLUMES OVER 1964-1965 (FLEMING DIED BEFORE THE 3RD VOLUME WAS PUBLISHED).  THE U.S. EDITION WAS NOT PUBLISHED UNTIL 1965 (AS A SINGLE VOLUME WHEN VOL. 3 WAS PUBLISHED IN THE U.K.).  BECAUSE THESE ARE CHILDREN'S BOOKS, FINDING THEM AS A COMPLETE SET IN A NICE UNREAD CONDITION WITHOUT MARKINGS INSIDE AND WITHOUT LIBRARY MARKINGS IS NEAR IMPOSSIBLE.  THE CHEAPEST COPY OF A COMPLETE 1ST PRINTING SET IN ORIGINAL DJS WITH PRICES ON THEM CAN'T BE FOUND ON ABE FOR LESS THAN $1800.  THERE HASN'T BEEN A COMPLETE SET OF 1ST PRINTINGS OFFERED ON EBAY IN OVER A YEAR.     FIRST 3 PICTURES ARE OF THE DUST JACKETS, 4TH PICTURE IS OF THE COPYRIGHT PAGES FOR ALL 3 BOOKS, FIFTH PICTURE IS OF THE SPINE/FRONT BOARDS FOR THE 3 BOOKS, AND SIXTH PICTURE IS OF THE SIGNED CHITTY CHITTY BOOK   All three books are in VERY NICE UNREAD CONDITION - former owner's tiny name in pen at top right on ffe (hardly noticeable on the dark colored endpapers) on 2 of the 3 books otehrwise NO FORMER OWNERSHIP MARKINGS INSIDE ALL 3 BOOKS (RARE TO FIND WITH THESE CHILDRENS BOOKS WHICH ALWAYS EITHER HAVE GIFT INSCRIPTIONS A CHILD DRAWING IN THEM), all 3 books are clearly unread with no creased page corners, no spine lean, no markings or erasures to the illustrated endpapers, no bookplates or evidence of removed bookplates, foxing to outer page edges on 2 of the 3 books (common with these books), NO WEAR OR TEARING TO THE FRAGILE SPINES (these books are very thin and only had one sewn page leaf - as a result the squared cardboard spine was attached by thin fragile paper - as a result these books are often found with tears at the spine tips and sometimes with the entire fragile cardboard spine lost), tiny spot along bottom edge on front panel on #1 otheriwse no soiling or staining to the white boards, board edges are clean, no bumped board corners to any of the books, no wear to board edges, board corners or spine tips - just minor shelf rubbing along bottom edges only (very very common defect with these fragile paper covered boards - particularly the spine tips).    All 3 original djs - NO CHIPPING OR CREASING (minor creasing along top edge rear panel on #3 only), couple of short closed nick tears along bottom edge on #1, along top edge on #2 (rear panel), and along botttom edge on #3 (front panel), minor wear to spine tips, no wear to front flap creases, no edge wear, VIRTUALLY NO DUST DISCOLORATION ALONG EDGES (this defect exists on VIRTUALLY ALL DJS FOR THESE BOOKS - CAUSED BY THE FACT THE PUBLISHER FAILED TO APPLY TO THE GLOSSY COATING ALL THE WAY TO THE TOP AND BOTTOM EDGES OF THE DJS - as a result the edges on these djs didn't have any coating to protect them against dust soiling), no peeling areas to the glossy coating, NO SOILING OR STAINING, WHITE AREAS OF DJS ARE WHITE - NO DUST RUBBING, NO AGE YELLOWING TO PANELS OR SPINES ON ANY OF THE 3 DJS (very common defect with these all-white DJs).   Overall a FINE-/N-FINE set of 3 books in FINE-/N-FINE dust jackets (1 DJ NOT PRICE CLIPPED of a set of rare 1st printing Ian Fleming books - the only children's book he ever wrote and the basis for the Dick Van Dyke movie of the same name, along with a 4th republished 1st printing that has been signed by illustrated John Burningham.    Check out my other auctions for Ian Fleming U.K. and US 1st printing hardcover and paperback books. COMMUNICATION/PAYMENT OPTIONS: If you have any questions regarding the item's description, or if you would like to see additional photos of the item, information about shipping options (domestic and foreign), or combined shipping costs, please contact me through ebay's e-mail system.  Payment must be made within 5 days from auction end (of course, extra time is given for those mailing payment) - FAILURE TO MAKE TIMELY PAYMENT MAY RESULT IN NEUTRAL OR NEGATIVE FEEDBACK (and if you think I care about retaliatory feedback threats, think again), so if there is going to be a delay in payment (you are sick, went out of town unexpectedly, had a financial emergency, paypal is taking extra time to establish your account, etc. THEN PLEASE E-MAIL ME, AS I EXCEPT MOST ANY EXCUSE BUT SILENCE).  I always leave feedback at the time payment is made.  I don't believe in the game that many sellers have had to resort to (thanks to ebay's rather unfair feedback policy that forces sellers to spend money or go to court to have feedback removed) of only leaving feedback after the buyer has left feedback (and as a result my overall feedback percentage has suffered for it, but my overall positive feedback numbers speak for themselves).     RETURN POLICY: All items are sold as-is, which is why I try to provide a fairly detailed description of the item itself (i.e. what it is and what it is not) as well its its specific condition, noting any significant defects (for collectible items).  Overall grades are sometimes provided in the posting (but as many book buyers know, book grading standards/categories very widely from seller to seller, so please do not rely solely on the grade that I have given a book without considering the specific condition/defects noted for that particular book).  Note - I don't believe in FINE/FINE category (since any item after it has been sold by the original book retailer is, by definition, no longer a "new" book and therefore can't be FINE/FINE, so N-FINE is the highest grade used).  So, if you have some concern about an item or want additional information, then please e-mail me before the close of the auction.  I do, on rare occasion, miss a significant defect in an item, and for collectible items, if that happens, on a case-by-case basis I do issue a full refund (including the cost of return shipping) depending upon the significance of the undisclosed defect.     I  DO COMBINE  SHIPPING COSTS FOR MULTIPLE  ITEMS WON  (if you would like estimates of what combined shipping costs might be for a certain group of auctions, please e-mail me before the auctions close).   Auctions can only be combined within 5 days of the closing of the first item that you won.  IF YOU WIN AN AUCTION AND ARE BIDDING ON MORE ITEMS (that close within 5 days), PLEASE IGNORE ANY INVOICES SENT TO YOU AND ONLY PAY THE FINAL LAST COMBINED INVOICE YOU RECEIVE (in other words, please do not make multiple payments when combining auctions).  Also, if you are delaying payment because of auctions that are ending later, if you could drop me an e-mail indicating that you are bidding on other auctions, that would be most appreciated.     For U.S. Buyers, payment can be made via paypal, money order/cashier's check, personal check, dollars sent at buyer's risk. PAYPAL IS MY PREFERRED PAYMENT OPTION SINCE IT TAKES 5-7 DAYS FOR PAYMENT TO ARRIVE TO ME VIA U.S. MAIL.      For Overseas Buyers, payment can be made via paypal, U.S. dollars sent at buyer's own risk (I would recommend sending it registered), or International Money Order in U.S. dollars (NOTE - THE INTERNATIONAL MONEY ORDER/CASHIER'S CHECK MUST BE DRAWABLE ON A U.S. BANK - there should be some reference to a U.S. bank printed on the IMO/cashier's check).  AGAIN, PAYPAL IS MY PREFERRED PAYMENT OPTION SINCE IT TAKES 7-10 DAYS FOR PAYMENT TO ARRIVE IN THE MAIL FROM OVERSEAS.  For overseas buyers, Paypal can now take payments in most foreign currencies that automatically converts to U.S. dollars, and Paypal can take both credit card and direct bank account debit transactions. SHIPPING TIME: I usually try to ship within 2 business days of receipt of the cleared payment (so if paying via e-check through paypal, the package is not mailed until after the e-check clears through paypal, the same holds true if you pay via a personal check).  The following are AVERAGE times via the U.S. Post office (I don't guarantee these times once the package is in the hands of the U.S. Post Office, so if the item is time sensitive, you might want to ask me about overnight/express mail shipping costs).     To 50 States/U.S. Territories/APO Addresses - From Alaska, Priority Mail usually takes 3-5 days, 1st Class Mail usually takes 5-7 days, and MEDIA MAIL USUALLY TAKES 3-4 WEEKS (MEDIA MAIL ALMOST NEVER ARRIVES EARLIER THAN 3 WEEKS FROM ALASKA, SO PLEASE DO NOT E-MAIL ME ASKING WHERE THE PACKAGE IS UNTIL 4 WEEKS HAVE PASSED, AS MEDIA MAIL GOES FROM ALASKA BY SLOW MOVING BARGE TO SEATTLE).  AGAIN, IF YOU CAN'T WAIT 3-4 WEEKS THAT MEDIA MAIL ROUTINELY TAKES FROM ALASKA, THEN I WOULD STRONGLY SUGGEST PRIORITY MAIL.     To Canada/Mexico/Overseas: Priority Mail International (Flat rate) usually takes 7-10 days and First Class Mail International (by weight) usually takes 10-14 days.   Sometimes the times are longer, depending how far away the country is from Alaska.SHIPPING & HANDLING CHARGES: Shipping charges/options (both U.S. and domestic) are provided below.  If no charge is listed below for overseas shipping costs, its because the item is too large/heavy to be mailed via Priority Mail International Flat Rate, and the item will have to go by overseas mail by weight (if you want to know the cost before the auction closes - please e-mail me with your location).  Insurance is always OPTIONAL, but once the item has left my hands I am no longer responsible for what the post office does - so if this is a concern, I would recommend that you purchase insurance.  I don't normally list insurance costs for overseas shipping (as I normally undervalue the item on the customs form to prevent the buyer from having to incur import taxes/customs charges); however if you would like insurance, please e-mail me and I will add that to the invoice (just be aware that the full value of the item has to be declared on the custsoms form if it is insured).  Items are now always sent with delivery confirmation which is included in the shipping costs (free for priority mail, but there is a small built-in charge for delivery confirmation with media mail/1st class mail shipping; Priority Mail International Flat rate also has some form of tracking number on the packaging which can be provided at the buyer's request - although I don't know how accurate the tracking is once the item leaves the U.S.).  PER EBAY'S STATED EXCESSIVE SHIPPING POLICY, I DO NOT OVER-INFLATE THE SHIPPING CHARGES - I do not charge extra an for packaging materials (which I reuse), I do not charge extra for handling time of preparing the item to mail or the time to go to the post office, and I do not charge extra shipping in an attempt to defraud ebay out of its closing value fees, or to obtain more for the item from the buyer through disguised shipping costs. 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