On 27 May, more than 150 lots will be going to auction at Ewbank’s, Surrey’s leading international auction house. The sale is wholly dedicated to James Bond, to date the fifth highest-grossing film series of all time. With treasures from the first-ever Dr.No 1958 novel by Ian Fleming to a 1994 ‘Golden Gun’ replica, Bond aficionados can bid on a piece of history.
“What’s your name? Bond. James Bond.” Die-hard fans will be able to trace these famous Sean Connery lines back to Ian Fleming’s 1958 original novel, whose first edition hardback is up for sale. Set in Jamaica, Dr. No recounts Bond’s investigation into the disappearance of two fellow MI6 agents. First sarcastically dismissed by a critic as “Sex, Snobbery and Sadism”, the novel went instead to gain great international acclaim, with the first Bond film released four years later in 1962.
“There’s a saying in England. Where there’s smoke, there’s fire”. From Russia with Love sees agent 007 willingly fall into an assassination plot involving Soviet clerk Tatiana Romanova. As the second released Bond movie, it grossed a total of $78 million worldwide at the box office, also winning a BAFTA for best cinematography. This promotional vintage film poster depicts Sean Connorey’s iconic pose with crossed arms and a gun close to his face, from Eric Pulford and Renato Fratini’s original art.
“This is gold”. Considered one of the greatest 007 movies of all time, Goldfinger follows James Bond as he investigates one of the wealthiest men in the world, gold-smuggler Auric Goldfinger and his crime gang headed by Pussy Galore. This rare poster from 1964 displays the style B design, with Sean Connery as James Bond and Honor Blackman as Pussy Galore projected onto a gold hand. This design by Robert Brownjohn was produced exclusively for the promotion of the film in Ireland, whose censors were scandalised by the original English poster depicting a gold-coated Bond girl in a bikini, resulting in this rare yet similarly iconic ‘hand’ design.
“He did always have an inflated opinion of himself”. Live and Let Die (1973) was the first to star Roger Moore as James Bond, this time investigating the death of three British agents fallen into a drug-trafficking scheme. This silkscreen print by American painter Robert McGinnis depicts one of the most iconic Bond poses from the early 1970s, adapted from the original pose by Sean Connery.
“Pistols at dawn. It’s a little old-fashioned, isn’t it?”. The Man with the Golden Gun from 1974 follows Roger Moore as James Bond as he recovers sensitive technology that is causing massive power shortages in the Middle East. This invaluable lot is a Golden Gun 18 carat gold-plated replica, a limited edition numbered 191 out of 400 manufactured. This rare version is signed by leading actors Sir Roger Moore and Sir Christopher Lee. It comes with the 007 engraved bullet and a bonus set of 5 extra golden bullets, the display case and original boxes.
“My god, what’s Bond doing?”. The 1979 Moonraker was the fourth to star Roger Moore as he investigates the theft of a space shuttle, taking him on an incredible journey from California to Venice, Rio de Janeiro, the Amazon rainforest and eventually outer space. This replica of the laser rifle, designed for the movie’s space warfare, is a limited edition made by Factory Entertainment to celebrate 50 years since the launch of the movie, and it is numbered 001/500.
The James Bond 007 auction will take place on 27 May, at 12:00 pm. Viewing will be from 24-26 May.
