Step Inside Ian Fleming's Bedroom

You read that right. I am about to take you inside the most intimate chamber of Ian Fleming's domicile. But before I do so, enjoy three rare photos of Mr. F.


First, a rare color photo of Ian, from Redbook:
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A brief q&a from Tatler:
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A rare and rather wonderful photo, also from Tatler, which shows Fleming at his most debonair and dissipated:
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Now we will step into Ian Fleming's bedroom. These photos are from Robert Harling's Vogue profile of the Flemings. We begin with a wide shot of the room:
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Now let's take at his "oddments":
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And mementos of his heroes:
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Finally, we arrive at the bookshelf:
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You're probably wondering what house this bedroom is from. The answer is Fleming's home at 16 Victoria Square (SW1), his last London residence, where he lived from 1953, right before the publication of Casino Royale, to his death in 1964. Ian's bedroom and study was on the top floor. It was this house that was intended to receive a Blue Plaque. Unfortunately, Ann had sold the property in 1973, and the succeeding owner refused permission to erect the plaque. It was instead placed on Fleming's Ebury Street residence in Belgravia. A pity, because Fleming stayed at the Victoria Square for a much longer time. Here's a picture of 16 Victoria Square, taken by yours truly:

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The house is a private residence and thus not open to the public.

Let's wrap up with two more photos. Moving from Fleming to his creation, here's an illustration for a 1964 printing of "Risico" in Rave Magazine:
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As you can see, Connery was by now the face of the literary Bond. He also appears in this advertisement from a 1963 issue of Tatler:
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Hope you enjoyed the photos. Now you can truthfully say that you've looked around Ian Fleming's bedroom!

Comments

  • Posts: 847
    Thanks for this my friend :)
  • Agent_99Agent_99 enjoys a spirited ride as much as the next girl
    Posts: 3,099
    This is just lovely. I especially like the quote about Hong Kong (I also appreciate the proper use of neon) and that ad for the Union-Castle line, with its amazing fourth wall breakage ("Oh James...It was so thrilling meeting you in the first paragraph like that").

    Thank you!
  • ThunderfingerThunderfinger Das Boot Hill
    Posts: 45,489
    Great find. I enjoyed reading. Why the kleenex though?
  • Posts: 19,339
    Very interesting,great work @Revelator ,and put together very well !

    Shame about the blue plaque fiasco,that new resident must have been a right grumpy old sod,to not give permission.
  • ThunderfingerThunderfinger Das Boot Hill
    Posts: 45,489
    barryt007 wrote: »
    Very interesting,great work @Revelator ,and put together very well !

    Shame about the blue plaque fiasco,that new resident must have been a right grumpy old sod,to not give permission.

    Maybe he doesn t want a lot of people flocking in to stare at his house.
  • Posts: 19,339
    barryt007 wrote: »
    Very interesting,great work @Revelator ,and put together very well !

    Shame about the blue plaque fiasco,that new resident must have been a right grumpy old sod,to not give permission.

    Maybe he doesn t want a lot of people flocking in to stare at his house.

    I doubt it would come to that tbh.

  • Posts: 1,031
    barryt007 wrote: »
    barryt007 wrote: »
    Very interesting,great work @Revelator ,and put together very well !

    Shame about the blue plaque fiasco,that new resident must have been a right grumpy old sod,to not give permission.

    Maybe he doesn t want a lot of people flocking in to stare at his house.

    I doubt it would come to that tbh.

    There's a building in York with a blue plaque for WH Auden, you don't really get people 'flocking' to it.
  • ThunderfingerThunderfinger Das Boot Hill
    Posts: 45,489
    Dennison wrote: »
    barryt007 wrote: »
    barryt007 wrote: »
    Very interesting,great work @Revelator ,and put together very well !

    Shame about the blue plaque fiasco,that new resident must have been a right grumpy old sod,to not give permission.

    Maybe he doesn t want a lot of people flocking in to stare at his house.

    I doubt it would come to that tbh.

    There's a building in York with a blue plaque for WH Auden, you don't really get people 'flocking' to it.

    Who is that? And isn t that a point?
  • ThunderpussyThunderpussy My Secret Lair
    Posts: 13,384
    I really enjoyed reading. Thank you for posting.
  • Posts: 2,887
    Thanks for the kind words everyone!
    Great find. I enjoyed reading. Why the kleenex though?

    I'm not sure that it is--was there kleenex "for men"?
    Who is that? And isn t that a point?

    W.H. Auden was one of the greatest poets of the 20th century. The sort of people who hunt down blue plaques probably are more excited by Auden than Fleming. As for hardcore Fleming fans, I fear there aren't enough of them to flock around 16 Victoria. So I think the homeowner missed a great chance to increase his property value. It would be interesting to see how many visitors the Ebury plaque gets.
  • ThunderfingerThunderfinger Das Boot Hill
    Posts: 45,489
    Goldeneye would probably be more worth visiting anyway.
  • Posts: 2,887
    Goldeneye would probably be more worth visiting anyway.

    Perhaps, but it's now part of an expensive resort complex--I'm not sure if you can even get near the house without being a guest.
  • ThunderfingerThunderfinger Das Boot Hill
    Posts: 45,489
    Revelator wrote: »
    Goldeneye would probably be more worth visiting anyway.

    Perhaps, but it's now part of an expensive resort complex--I'm not sure if you can even get near the house without being a guest.

    Oh well, there are other pursuits in Jamaica.
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  • Thank you for posting this incredible glimpse into the most private space of Ian Fleming, @Revelator. I especially love the Regina Victoria bed quilt and the countless books packed and stacked everywhere (though those weight-bearing shelves hanging over the sleeping space make me wince).

    The box in the sixth picture down is certainly a Kleenex box. The italicized slogan at the top reads "STAYS STRONG WHEN WET" and below that you can read the lower halves of "TIS..." for tissues (plus, the word "TISSUES" is in small print beneath the 'X'). There are even tissues peeking out from under the Senior Service cigarettes. How do Kleenex for Men differ from standard Kleenex? Beats me.
  • Posts: 2,887
    The box in the sixth picture down is certainly a Kleenex box. The italicized slogan at the top reads "STAYS STRONG WHEN WET" and below that you can read the lower halves of "TIS..." for tissues (plus, the word "TISSUES" is in small print beneath the 'X'). There are even tissues peeking out from under the Senior Service cigarettes. How do Kleenex for Men differ from standard Kleenex? Beats me.

    I stand corrected. And as it turns out, Kleenex for Men is a thing in the UK (and once in the US). Apparently the tissues are larger than usual, for the benefit of macho noses. I initially denied the Kleenixty of the box because it looked too big for tissues, but little did I know...
  • Posts: 19,339
    Revelator wrote: »
    The box in the sixth picture down is certainly a Kleenex box. The italicized slogan at the top reads "STAYS STRONG WHEN WET" and below that you can read the lower halves of "TIS..." for tissues (plus, the word "TISSUES" is in small print beneath the 'X'). There are even tissues peeking out from under the Senior Service cigarettes. How do Kleenex for Men differ from standard Kleenex? Beats me.

    I stand corrected. And as it turns out, Kleenex for Men is a thing in the UK (and once in the US). Apparently the tissues are larger than usual, for the benefit of macho noses. I initially denied the Kleenixty of the box because it looked too big for tissues, but little did I know...

    The box size is still the same today.
    Yes,it basically means tougher,stronger tissues for men...now they only say 'mansized'.
  • ThunderpussyThunderpussy My Secret Lair
    Posts: 13,384
    It's a little know fact that tissues are used mainly for one reason, .... The other is
    Blowing your nose.
  • Posts: 19,339
    It's a little know fact that tissues are used mainly for one reason, .... The other is
    Blowing your nose.

    Yep...the amount of tissues I used to through in my youth was extraordinary..i should have bought shares.

  • ThunderpussyThunderpussy My Secret Lair
    Posts: 13,384
    :-D Yes I too enjoyed the hobby of Paper Mâché
  • Posts: 19,339
    :-D Yes I too enjoyed the hobby of Paper Mâché

    Yes..its amazing how those tissues got all hard and wrinkly...a most enjoyable pastime.

  • ThunderpussyThunderpussy My Secret Lair
    Posts: 13,384
    :-D
  • Posts: 19,339
    :-D

    ;)

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