London: Cape, 1961

8vo, pp. 254. Original black boards, skeletal hand blindstamped on front panel, lettered in gilt on spine. Lacking the dustwrapper. A tight, clean copy.

First edition.

Ninth novel in the series, in which Ernest Stavro Blofeld makes his first appearance. By 1961 the Bond series was a big success, and the initial print run of Thunderball -- some 50,000 copies -- reflected this.

near fine copy, lacking the dustwrapper.