Marking the 60th Anniversary of James Bond on the silver screen, Christie’s is collaborating with Eon Productions to present a two-part charity sale in September.
Titled Sixty Years of James Bond, the auctions feature 60 iconic lots celebrating the 25 Bond films, with proceeds benefitting 45 charities. The live auction will take place in London on 28 September, offering 25 lots comprising vehicles, watches, costumes and props, where many are related to the 25th Bond film, No Time To Die. The second part will be an online auction, with 35 lots open for bidding between the 15 September until James Bond Day on 5 October.
This article focuses on the costumes, accessories and other props featured in the 007 films. Click here for the article on vehicles.
Lot 6 | No Time To Die (2021) | A Tom Ford two-piece dinner suit with Crockett & Jones shoes, worn by Daniel Craig as James Bond
Estimate: £25,000 - 30,000
Sold to benefit: National Youth Theatre
No Bond's wardrobe would be complete without the tailored-made chic suit sequence. And Tom Ford, the American luxury fashion house, has been a label synonymous with Daniel Craig’s James Bond since their first collaboration in Quantum of Solace (2008).
Hitting the auction block this time is the two-piece dinner suit worn by Craig's Bond when he attends a SPECTRE party in No Time To Die (2021). Perfectly fit for Craig's physique, the black cocktail jacket is made of practical wool, cut with satin-silk shawl lapels and gauntlet cuffs. On the sleeves there are five buttons – one is always unbuttoned in Bond's style.
The winning bidder for the present lot will also be able to enjoy the ultimate sartorial experience, offered with a made to measure dinner suit by Tom Ford. Through the Made To Measure Service, Tom Ford’s prestigious clients can create a custom suit through a private one-on-one appointment, after which its master tailors devote weeks of craftsmanship to cutting, constructing and finishing each piece using exquisite materials from the world’s finest mills.
Lot 3 | No Time To Die (2021) | Omega, Seamaster Diver 300m 007 edition, A titanium automatic diver's military style wristwatch with mesh bracelet
Diameter: 42mm
Estimate: £15,000 - 20,000
Sold to benefit: TIME'S UP UK
The perfect complement to a fine suit is, without doubt, an elegant timepiece. Ever since the release of Goldeneye in 1995, Omega Seamaster has remained the ultimate Bond watch, becoming the only brand to grace the secret agent’s wrist.
In fact, Omega Seamaster has had long-standing association with the British armed forces. In the 1960s, Omega was the largest single watch supplier to both the Royal Navy and the Army. Originally a military watch, Omega Seamaster was chosen by James Bond – a British spy – for a good reason.
The timepiece offered at auction is the Seamaster Diver 300M worn by Daniel Craig as James Bond in No Time To Die (2021). It is his watch of choice while living in Jamaica, taking a leading role from that point on. Designed with input from Craig and the filmmakers, the wristwatch is specifically built from titanium, making it lightweight yet robust – perfect for an undercover agent who is always on action-packed missions.
Lot 8 | No Time To Die (2021) | A Michael Lo Sordo 'Alexandra' gown, worn by Ana de Armas as Paloma
Estimate: £8,000 - 12,000
Sold to benefit:Médecins Sans Frontières
Bond girls' fashion-forward outfits has always been attention-grabbing. Playing the character of CIA agent Paloma in No Time To Die, Ana de Armas has stolen the show with this floor-length silk-satin evening gown. At the pinnacle of elegance, the deep navy dress boasts a plunging neckline with a thigh-high slit and open back that add a graceful twist to the style. Also offered to match with the dress are a Jimmy Choo blue velvet clutch bag and a pair of Aquazzura silver strappy sandals.
This is one of four Michael lo Sordo 'Alexandra' gowns worn by Ana de Armas as Paloma. It first takes over the screen when she joins James Bond for a special mission at a glamorous black tie party. Together they infiltrate a SPECTRE party and escape in an exhilarating action sequence.
Lot 22 | Octopussy (1983) | A Swarovski crystal-mounted, green enamel and gold-plated prop egg in the manner of Fabergé, commissioned from Asprey, London
Height: 10 cm
Width: 7 cm
Estimate: £6,000 - 10,000
Sold to benefit: UNICEF UK
One of the most iconic props in Bond films, the Faberge egg made its first appearance in Ian Fleming’s 1963 short story The Property of a Lady. In the tale, James Bond was sent to attend an auction for the egg in London, where its already costly price is being deliberately raised by overbidding as a pay-off for the consignor – a Soviet informer and triple agent.
After being serialized in Playboy, the plot was adapted for the 1983 film Octopussy. James Bond – played by Sir Roger Moore for the sixth time – was dispatched to a sale room to swap the Faberge egg with a replica. He subsequently engaged in a bidding war with an exiled Afghan prince named Kamal Khan, pushing the price of the counterfeit to £500,000. ‘Let’s see how badly he wants it,’ Bond quips during the sale.
The jewel-like green-and-gold egg was commissioned by Peter Lamont, the film’s production designer, who asked the jewellers Asprey to craft two Fabergé-style pieces, which, after extensive research, were based on the Russian Coronation Egg made in 1897.
Lot 2 | No Time To Die (2021) | SPECTRE agent Primo's bionic eyeball, together with cradle, velvet cushion and plate
Estimate: £4,000 - 6,000
Sold to benefit: BAFTA
This is one of five similar round bionic eyeballs appeared in No Time To Die. A sophisticated removable prosthetic, the gadget appears in various scenes throughout the film.
It is first seen when Bond fights with Primo, the proxy to the incarcerated leader of SPECTRE Blofeld. As a communicative device that can record, store and broadcast data, the eyeball enables Blofeld to continue running SPECTRE from the high-security cell. However, the device is later hacked by technical supremo Q, who provides Bond with valuable information which helps his missions.
The eyeball is last seen during Bond’s final struggle with Primo. Though equipped with the device on left eye, Primo is defeated by Bond, who uses his watch to put an explosive end to his adversary.
Lot 20 | A five-night stay at the fleming villa at Goldeneye
Estimate: £30,000 - 50,000
Sold to benefit: Scottish Youth Film Foundation
The GoldenEye villa, one of the film locations of Dr. No (1962) and Live and Let Die (1973), was the dream house of Ian Fleming, the author of the James Bond series. In 1942, while working as a naval intelligence officer during World War II, Fleming was sent to Jamaica for an Anglo-American summit. Falling in love with the island, he declared that one day he would be back there for good.
Four years later, Fleming purchased 15 acres of land on Jamaica’s north coast. There, on a headland overlooking a private beach, he built the GoldenEye villa, where Fleming wrote all fourteen Bond books. After Fleming’s death, the house was purchased by Bob Marley, who then sold it to the founder of Island Records, Chris Blackwell. Blackwell still owns the house, and has generously donated this five-night stay to the auction.
Ian Fleming created the James Bond series in the villa
The GoldenEye villa is now named Fleming Villa and can sleep up to 10 guests across five bedrooms. The private oasis has its own pool, beach, self-contained gardens, and a media room. A dedicated team including two butlers, executive chef, and housekeepers will be on hand to provide guests with the most luxurious experience. And the original desk where Fleming wrote the James Bond series still sits in the corner of the villa.
Auction Details:
Auction House: Christie’s London
Sale: Sixty Years of James Bond: Part I – Live Auction
Date and Time: 28 September 2022 | 7pm (London time)