London - Aston Martin cars, books, props, posters and costumes from all 23 James Bond films will go on sale at a charity auction this month to celebrate the British super spy's 50th silver screen anniversary.
Auctioneer Christie's said memorabilia for its “50 Years of James Bond” sale has come direct from the archives of EON Productions, the company behind a film franchise which began with Sean Connery as the suave but lethal 007 in the 1962 Dr No and will see its latest premiere, Skyfall, open this year.
“With memorabilia offered from every official Bond film ever made, the auction is sure to appeal to new and established fans of the famous British spy,” Christie's director Nicolette Tomkinson said in a statement.
Forty lots will be put up for an online-only auction from September 28 to October 8, with a further 10 lots to highlight an invitation-only auction at Christie's South Kensington in London on October 5 as part of EON's celebrations for a “Global James Bond Day”.
The catalogue boasts Bond goodies from every era, from the Aston Martin driven by Daniel Craig as Bond in Quantum Of Solace or his watch in the upcoming Skyfall to first editions of Bond creator Ian Fleming's novels Dr No and From Russia With Love.
Items from films boasting a string of Bond girls and baddies which stand out from the auction catalogue include Solitaire's tarot cards from Live And Let Die, Scaramanga's Solex Agitator from The Man With The Golden Gun, and gadget man Q's snooper dog robot from A View To A Kill.
Lots in the online auction will be offered without reserve prices, with bids starting at 50 pounds each.
Proceeds from the auctions will be given to a collection of international and national charities including Unicef, the Royal Navy & Royal Marines Charity, Women for Women International and the Science Museum in London.
The hoopla for the Bond anniversary and premiere of the new film follows hot on the heels of Bond's last outing accompanying Britain's Queen Elizabeth on her film debut for the opening ceremony of the London 2012 Olympics. - Reuters