The 287-page corpus that will go under the hammer at Sotheby’s covers two decades of Ian Fleming's life, from the beginning of his secret affair with Ann Charteris, who was then married to another man, to the formalisation of their union, and finally the last years of their marriage. The missives document his sexuality, details from his circle of rich and famous friends, and of course the success of his novels.
"It's no coincidence that Ian wrote his first novel with Bond the year of his wedding, both as a liberator for his libido and imagination, and to try to make money for a woman accustomed to live in opulence without even realising it," said Gabriel Heaton, a specialist in books and manuscripts at Sotheby's, in a statement.
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Indeed, Ann Charteris was a seductive and intelligent woman from the aristocracy, who relished the company of writers and other members of the intelligentsia. When they met in 1934, the attraction between the elegant beauty and the debauched writer was immediate. The couple embarked on a passionate romance, but when Ann's first husband died in the war, she married the Viscount Rothermere Esmond Harmsworth for financial stability and a roof for her two children. Despite this, she and Fleming failed to end their affair.
"In addition to retracing a relationship with an extraordinary erotic charge, this correspondence traces Bond's meteoric rise and paints a living picture of high society living in the post-war era," says Heaton.
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In 1948, while still married to Viscount Rothermere, Ann gave birth to Ian's daughter, but she was premature and survived only a few hours. The drama, evoked in the letters, brought the couple closer together, and they married in 1952. This same year, their son Caspar was born and the first Bond novel, Casino Royale, was published.
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The tender feelings described in the correspondence are often accompanied by a dynamic of sexual domination: "I desire you even if you whip me because I like being hurt by you and then kissed by you," writes Ann. This role-play is perhaps not a surprise for faithful readers of James Bond novels, where there is a strong erotic charge and an introspection on adult sexuality.
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The only constant female presence in James Bond's life is the secretary, Miss Moneypenny. The other ‘Bond Girls’ like Honeychile Rider, Pussy Galore and Solitaire disappear at the end of each adventure. If Fleming was also known for his frivolities with the fairer sex, some interpret Ann's presence in his life as similar to that of Miss Moneypenny in Bond's. Ann proved so fascinating to the novelist that their story survived two marriages, the loss of a child, and the barriers imposed by their respective social classes.
Their correspondence will be sold online between 3 and 10 December at Sotheby's London, with an approximate estimate of £200,000 to 300,000.