There is a feature in today’s Telegraph (telegraph.co.uk) about the value of James Bond/007 memorabilia, and the impact of the new film, Quantum of Solace. As is typical with mainstream media reports on (in this case, in part only) original props and costumes, the focus is on monetary value, though there is a caveat with regards to provenance.
The full article by John Greenwood can be found on the website of the Telegraph – Quantum of Solace: James Bond memorabilia causes a stir. Below is the excerpt focused on original props and costumes:
Costumes and props are not surprisingly the most valuable pieces of Bond memorabilia. Ten years ago Oddjob’s steel-rimmed bowler hat, from the 1964 film Goldfinger, went for £62,000. And even something as seemingly mundane as a pair of brown brogues, immortalised in celluloid by Pierce Brosnan’s Goldeneye Bond, fetched £1,000 at Christie’s 10 months ago.
If and when they ever come to market, Daniel Craig’s blue swimming trunks are sure to command a high price at auction.
When buying anything that has actually been used on set it is crucial to make sure not only that it is genuine and hasn’t been stolen, but that you can prove the fact to someone else if and when you come to sell it. “For props and costumes you need cast iron provenance for it to have any value,” says Stephanie Connell, entertainment specialist at Bonham’s, the auction house. “This should be some form of certification of authenticity that explains who the person is who is selling it and why they are entitled to sell it.”
Ursula Andress had no such problems explaining the authenticity of the famous Dr No bikini, which she found in her cupboard in 2001 and sold for £41,125. More typical provenance is the certificate from costumiers Angels given with the dinner jacket worn by Sean Connery in Thunderball, which went under the hammer last year for £28,000.
Not all Bonds are equal, and the value of memorabilia in part reflects the public’s appreciation of for the actor’s depiction of the role. “When it comes to the value that the actor adds to collectables, Connery is of course king, followed by Roger Moore and then Daniel Craig,” says Palmer. “Piers Brosnan, Timothy Dalton and George Lazenby all come in a fairly equal fourth, although genuine items from 1969’s On Her Majesty’s Secret Service, Lazenby’s only outing as Bond, are collectable because of their age and rarity.”
Roger Moore era items are generally less valuable than Connery’s, although a navy battledress jacket worn by him in The Spy Who Loved me did fetch £11,700. “This is still a lot of money, but if it had been Sean Connery it would have been worth a lot more,” says Connell.
Additional James Bond features on the OPB can be found here: Special Interest | James Bond
Jason De Bord