James Bond is known worldwide thanks to the film franchise, but the character was actually first presented through 12 novels and two short story collections between 1953 and 1966.

Some rare and first editions are going up for sale at The Ballater Book Fair in Scotland.

The earlier James Bond novels, such as Live and Let Die (1954), Moonraker (1955) and Diamonds Are Forever (1956), can be worth several thousand pounds if both the book and dust jacket are in excellent condition.

The later books, for example, Thunderball (1961) and You Only Live Twice (1964) can also be worth up to a thousand pounds.

The Man with the Golden Gun, The Spy Who Loved Me and You Only Live Twice and are just a few of the 007 novels that will be featured at the event. There is also a first edition of Casino Royale, the first book in the series published in 1953.

These are particularly rare, as the print run was small. The copy available is missing its dust jacket, but is still expected to sell for thousands of pounds.

Like the later spy writer John Le Carré, Fleming was in the secret service and this influenced his work. Fleming served during World War II as the assistant to the director of naval intelligence. Unlike Le Carré, however, he wrote with flamboyance rather than realism.

The value of the books is likely to continue rising, as the number of copies in good condition can only decrease, and James Bond will continue to fascinate many for a long, long time.

The Ballater Book Fair takes place on Sunday, 9 August in Victoria Hall, Station Square. Entry costs £1.