CommanderBond.net

Bond And Bentley Join Forces For Limited Edition 'Devil May Care'

Luxury edition limited to 300 copies worldwide

Bentley Chief Designer Discusses Limited Edition 'Devil May Care'

Dirk van Braeckel on capturing the spirit of Bond and Bentley

Those filthy bastards...I've already got the US and UK Hardbacks to buy, in addition to the Centenary Hardbacks. What's this setting us back now? $1,500? $2,000?

Will cost you about $1,500 if you're in the US.

Holy God...

Very pricey but that is a true luxury item. You get what you pay for.

100 of these will be made available in the US for $1500. Very pricey, but very nice. Something to think about.

Not sure about this. On a few counts.

The book isn't even out yet - and we are expected to go for a £750 Bentley special edition: how do we know if it's any good? Okay, I'm being pessimistic - but it isn't Fleming, is it? All the book needs is a negative bunch of reviews in the mainstream press - what's it all about, literary Bond is an anachronism, why is Faulks slumming it, his literary style isn't right for something as low-rent as Fleming, etc - and these could end in the bargain bin, or just end up as an expensive novelty for Bentley owners (and completist Bond collectors). If Bentley want a luxury Fleming tie-in for the 100 anniversary, why not OHMSS, for example. Now THAT we KNOW is good!

And cosmetically. Well, it looks fine parodying what it intends - a Bentley guide from the 50s. But where does it fit in the shelves with the Choppings? The Young Bond special editions fit as a series, and efforts were made to fit the appearance of the Amis, Woods, and earky Gardners wit the originals. Okay, I know the street versions of DMC are out of sync, but this looks like the sort of thing which needs to go in a cupboard or draw, out of the way. And I for one believe books should be beautiful and displayed.

Oh, and has anyone mentioned the cost?

Bit ghastly, isn't it?

I mean, it's only a book. One wonders about who would put this on display, doubtless next to their leather-bound Shakespeare to match their leather-bound sofas and leather-bound wives, volumes they have doubtless never actually opened and read.

From Black Books, a much missed programme:-

Customer: Those books, how much?
Bernard: Hmm?
Customer: Those books. Leather-bound ones.
Bernard Yes, Dickens. The collected works of Charles Dickens.
Customer: They're real leather?
Bernard: They're real Dickens.
Customer: I have to know if they're real leather because they have to go with a sofa. Everything else in my house is real. I'll give you two hundred for them.
Bernard: Two hundred what?
Customer: Two hundred pounds...
Bernard: Are they leather-bound pounds?
Customer: No...
Bernard: Sorry, I need leather-bound pounds to go with my wallet. Next!


It's a bit naff, isn't it? Does it make the book any better?

Nice to have a visual version of Bond's Bentley finally.

Obviously I'll never buy it, but if it gets them a few column inches here and there I say well done. What has happened to IFP over the last few years? They've suddenly got very good at their jobs!

Now, I like special editions of books. (Take for example, the slipcased and signed limited editions of the Young Bond books) But this one just doesn't do it for me, and the price is rather exorbitant.

Won't be buying this one... but it's not a bad little idea. Pity about the OTT design etc.

I wonder how much one of these wuould fetch in 50 years' time, with a fake Ian Fleming autograph on it...

I think if you spend that much for a book then it gets its own shelf.

Brilliant.

Am I missing something or does it not say anything about this edition being signed by Faulks? It better be.

David Schofield has a good point. I think I need to read and love the book before I can consider spending this much money on a special edition. But I will seriously consider it. I am a hardcore collector of Bond novels with an emphasis on continuation novels, so...

But I've only spent over $1000 for only two items in my entire collection (first CR and a Houdini item). Part of my own justification for crossing that barrier is that I have to know I can instantly and easily turn the item around for what I paid or more. Not sure that will be the case with this.

Check out the additional photo of how the car in laid into the book at dexigner.com. Kind of nifty. I also like that the pages are double-oh numbers. Shame they blurred the text.


Display case. Full shelf. Surrounded by some choice DMC items from my upcoming London trip.

(, I'm talking myself into this.)