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Bennett Winch SC Holdall

Wanted: Ian Fleming's golden typewriter

31 May, 2012

On May 28th 1908, Ian Fleming, the creator of James Bond was born in London. The official Bond website 007.com is keen to track down the owner of the typewriter that Ian Fleming used when writing many of the original James Bond adventures.

ian fleming

Fleming bought the gold-plated Royal Quiet Deluxe Portable typewriter from a New York dealer in 1952. It appears in many of the photographs showing Fleming working at his GoldenEye home in Jamaica. The 1947 model typewriter was bought at auction in 1995 by an anonymous bidder and to this day its whereabouts remain unknown.

royal typwriter gold ian flemingWe would love to talk to the owners of this momentous piece of Bond history. So, Bond fans, do you know who owns the machine? Are you the mysterious buyer? If so, please get in touch either via 007.com or the contact form on this website.

Read more about the golden typewriter on the OZTypewriter Blog.

About the Royal Quiet Deluxe typewriter
The Royal Typewriter Company, a manufacturer of typewriters headquartered in New York City, introduced the Quiet Deluxe portable typewriter in 1941 and the model became very popular. In 1947 Royal produced, in limited quantity, a gold-plated version of the Quiet Deluxe model. The golden version is nowadays hard to find but a simple Royal Quiet Deluxe portable typewriter can be found on eBay for $60 to $199.


Orlebar Brown Sale

Comments

"Reportedly, on May 5, 1995, Pierce Brosnan, the fifth official James Bond actor, bought the gold-plated typewriter on which Ian Fleming wrote some of his James Bond novels in Jamaica for a reported £52,800."
I have one of these Royal Gold Typewriters that was my Dads that is in great condition other than the gold is really worn since my Dad used it a lot. I am not a collector but I have wanted to have the plating redone on it just so I could display it. I have the one that is exactly like the one that Ian Fleming had. Has anyone ever had one replated? Looks like I might be able to remove it all to be replated. By the way, I do have a 1953 letter on Royal Typewriter letterhead that is "typed" answering a question about getting one of these typewriters with a different font. I guess my Dad was able to get it with an Italic font since that is what he has. I may have the only one like that. If anyone is interested in a copy of the letter just ask and I will email you a high resolution file to print. Cary.Mark@me.com.
There is no evidence that Ian Fleming wrote the novels with the Gold-Plated Royal Quiet Deluxe Typewriter. The Royal Quiet remained in his house while he used travel typewriters of Remington Remette and Imperial T 'Good Companion'. These can be seen on photographs showing Ian Fleming in his house Goldeneye in Jamaica.

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