James Bond posters hitting auction block

Updated: 2012-10-25 09:19

(Agencies)

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James Bond posters hitting auction block

Actor Daniel Craig poses for photographers during a photocall for the film "Skyfall" in Paris October 24, 2012.[Photo/Agencies]

In line with the 50th anniversary of the James Bond franchise, posters from every Bond movie in the series are hitting the auction block in December, along with stills, lobby cards, scripts and other 007 ephemera.

Auctioneer Profiles in History said the Bond poster collection is expected to take in well over $200,000, led by a rare "From Russia With Love" special advance Leicester Square world-premiere poster from 1963.

It is one of a handful believed still in existence and is expected to fetch $10,000 to $15,000, the auction house said.

"It's such a rare thing when you get every title like this," said Joe Maddalena, the auction house's president, referring to the comprehensive offerings.

The posters and other items were assembled over some 25 years by a private British collector, Maddalena told reporters.

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"He wanted to build the most comprehensive James Bond movie poster collection," he said.

"It's really a mind-boggling collection," Maddalena added, pointing to examples such as a yellow "Dr. No" silkscreen on linen poster from 1962 that is thought to be the very first 007 film poster ever to appear to the public.

The auction house estimates what it called the "holy grail" of film poster collecting to sell for $3,000 to $5,000, but Maddalena said he strives to keep estimates conservative.

Other highlights include posters from the earliest Bond films, including a rare UK advance "Goldfinger" from 1964 and a British "Thunderball" poster from 1965, each estimated to sell for $4,000 to $6,000.

The auction, including hundreds of other, non-Bond film memorabilia, will be held on December 15-16 in Los Angeles.

Hollywood memorabilia has achieved some stunning prices in recent years.

Profiles in History's 2011 auction of Debbie Reynolds' costume collection was led by the Marilyn Monroe "subway" dress from "The Seven Year Itch" which soared to $5.5 million, while Audrey Hepburn's Ascot dress from "My Fair Lady" fetched more than $4.4 million.

A charity auction of Bond items took in $2.6 million earlier this month in London, led by an Aston Martin driven by Daniel Craig in his second Bond outing, "Quantum of Solace," which sold for $390,000. Another bidder paid nearly $72,000 for Craig's "Casino Royale" bathing suit.

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