On 28 September, Christie’s and EON Productions' evening live auction, Sixty Years of James Bond: Part I, raised a total of £6.1 million (US$6.5 million) for 45 charities. Ranging from vehicles and costumes to props and memorabilia, all 25 iconic lots related to the Bond films were sold, where many of them were sold far beyond expectations.
The star lot of the sale was the Aston Martin replica DB5 stunt car from No Time To Die (2021), selling for an impressive £2.9 million (around US$3.2 million) against a low estimate of £1.5 million.
The entrance of the saleroom was delicately decorated
To celebrate the 60th anniversary of 007 on the silver screen, the London saleroom was delicately decorated, appearing almost like a movie scene. Film producers Barbara Broccoli and Michael G. Wilson also joined the audience and bidded with a special paddle number '007'.
Lively bidding saw many lots hammer down at several or even tens of times their estimated prices. The Faberge egg from the 1983 film Octopussy, for instance, netted 43 times its low estimate of £6,000 and fetched nearly £330,000 (around US$367,000) with fees.
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
Hammer Price: £260,000
Sold: £327,600
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 7 | No Time To Die (2021) | Aston Martin Replica DB5 Stunt Car
Estimate: £1,500,000 – 2,000,000
Hammer Price: £2,400,000
Sold: £2,922,000
One of eight built specifically for No Time To Die, it is to date the only DB5 stunt car to be released for sale. Debuted in the 1964 movie, Goldfinger, this car also appeared in No Time To Die – driven by Daniel Craig.
Aston Martin has been associated with the James Bond franchise for more than 50 years and has featured in 13 films so far. All the DB5 stunt cars were exclusively engineered and handcrafted for use, while this current car is one of a few to include the bespoke No Time To Die gadgets and mocked-up side panel damage.
Driven by Sean Connery, the Aston Martin DB5 first appeared in the James Bond film, Goldfinger (1964)
This current car features a modern 3.2-litre straight 6 petrol engine alongside a manual gearbox to maximise the dynamic capability of the stunt car. The body panels are all carbon fibre, while the handcrafted interior has been made using carbon fibre and features cut down sport Tillett stunt seats. A machine gun is also hidden beneath the headlights.
Its suspension and braking system are bespoke and were uniquely engineered by Aston Martin Special Projects. Guided by British special effects supervisor, Chris Corbould, about what was expected of the car on set, the Aston Martin Special Projects team then developed a new suspension and braking system. This made the car capable of its breathtaking stunt performances.
Proceeds from the car’s sale is donated to The Prince’s Trust and The Prince of Wales’ Charitable Fund.
The Aston Martin DB5 is designed to perform different stunts
A pair of machine guns are found beneath the car's two headlights
Lot 11 | No Time To Die (2021) | Aston Martin V8
Estimate: £500,000 – 700,000
Hammer Price: £500,000
Sold: £630,000
The second top lot belongs to this 1981 Aston Martin V8, which was hammered at £500,000 and sold for £630,000 (around US$682,000) after fees. It is one of three modified specifically for James Bond's No Time To Die, and one of the cars driven by Daniel Craig in the film. It was filmed in Norway, Italy, London, Scotland and England.
It is similar to the iconic car that was first seen in 1987's The Living Daylights. Launched 10 years before Timothy Dalton's Bond debut, the Aston Martin V8 was both the fastest four-seat production car of its day and Britain's first true supercar – equipped with a 5.3-liter V8 engine, capable of reaching a top speed of 270 kilometres per hour.
When the film company selected James Bond's car, it chose to work with Aston Martin. The luxury car manufacturing company's then executive chairman, Victor Gauntlett, provided his car for filming.
The Aston Martin V8 used in The Living Daylights (1987) had an open-top design
The vehicle also re-appeared in No Time To Die (2021)
Lot 19 | No Time To Die (2021) | Aston Martin DBS Superleggera 007 Special Edition
Estimate: £300,000 - 400,000
Hammer Price: £320,000
Sold: £403,200
In No Time To Die, female agent Nomi assumed the role of 007 following the retirement of James Bond. To celebrate the Aston Martin DBS Superleggera featuring in the movie, Aston Martin created a unique 007 Edition, with the same specification driven by Nomi. Only 25 cars were made and all of them sold out instantly.
Unlike the production cars, this DBS has a one-of-a-kind plaque with etched signatures from Michael G. Wilson and Barbara Broccoli and acter Lashana Lynch. The proceeds from this lot is donated to The Royal Foundation of the Prince and Princess of Wales.
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
Hammer Price: £180,000
Sold: £226,800
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.
Other Highlight Lots:
Lot 25 | No Time To Die (2021) | Triumph Scrambler 1200 XE
Estimate: £20,000 – 30,000
Hammer Price: £110,000
Sold: £138,600
Lot 24 | The World Is Not Enough (1999) | Q Jet Boat
Estimate: £20,000 – 30,000
Hammer Price: £100,000
Sold: £126,000
Lot 14 | No Time To Die (2021) | Omega, Seamaster Aqua Terra 150m
Estimate: £15,000 - 20,000
Hammer Price: £95,000
Sold: £119,700
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
Hammer Price: £35,000
Sold: £44,100
Auction Details:
Auction House: Christie's London
Sale: Sixty Years of James Bond: Part I – Live Auction
Date: 28 September 2022
Number of Lots: 25
Sold: 25
Sale Rate: 100%
Sale Total: £6,103,500