Ian Flemings Moneypenny letters raise over 14000 pounds at auction

A collection of letters by James Bond author Ian Fleming written to his real-life Miss Moneypenny have raked in a whopping 14,340 pounds at a London auction, surpassing all expectations.

London, Apr 12 : A collection of letters by James Bond author Ian Fleming written to his real-life "Miss Moneypenny" have raked in a whopping 14,340 pounds at a London auction, surpassing all expectations.

Expected to fetch around 3000 pounds, the letter-collection was sold by Dorset auctioneers Duke's.

The collection included four letters signed by Fleming and an annotated invoice with his initials to Jean Frampton, a secretary hired to type his 007 manuscripts.

Frampton is touted as his original "Miss Moneypenny", the character played by Lois Maxwell in the James Bond films, as the letters show her to share a close relationship with Fleming.

They also mentioned books including Thunderball and Live and Let Die.

In March 1960 Fleming wrote to Frampton, telling her about his novel Thunderball.

"I am afraid this is not a good transcript. I would be deeply obliged if you could apply your keen mind to any points," he wrote.

The letters have revealed that she doubled up as his typist and an editor and was the first person to read his books.

Though, Frampton never met Fleming, she was clearly interested in the spy's adventures

"I still regret the end of Thunderball. What about Blofeld or does he live to fight another day?" BBC quoted her, asking Fleming in a letter.

Assistant auctioneer Amy Brenan said: "Mrs Frampton was actually an intelligent lady who had a French degree which she kept secret from her family. She had lots of attributes like that and she enjoyed reading the novels as she was typing them. Her interest led her to make suggestions to the plot, for her to make alterations, and Fleming actually welcomed it. As well as his typist she was an editor as such, and she was the first person to read the books. You can look on her as Ian Fleming's Miss Moneypenny."

The sale also included a number of letters, which Frampton wrote to Fleming's secretaries, Una Trueblood and Beryl Griffie-Williams.

ANI