As time passes, more 007 collections get auctioned

First edition copy of 1953’s Casino Royale sold at auction

It’s the way of the world, as Lt. Columbo once said. When it comes to James Bond fandom, which dates back to 1953 (literary) and 1962 (cinema), collectors are deciding it’s time to cash in and find new homes for what they’ve acquired over the decades.

This blog has detailed a number of such sales over the years.

In 2010, there was an auction of John Griswold’s collection, which included a first-edition copy of Casino Royale, the first Bond novel, and Robert McGinnis artwork for Bond movie posters. That collection also included a Mort Drucker illustration of Ian Fleming. Griswold died in 2016.

In 2011, Doug Redenius of the Ian Fleming Foundation sold off his collection in a private sale, which included costumes from the Bond films along with various Bond-related games.

In 2015, collector Gary J. Firuta auctioned first-edition Bond novels (both U.K. and U.S. versions), page proofs and vintage movie posters.

Other collections are coming on the auction market. U.K.-based Ewbank’s has scheduled a two-part Bond auction of 007 items belonging to collector Steve Oxenrider. The first part will be in November, with the second in the spring of 2024.

Undoubtedly, there will be more sales and auctions in the coming years.

Another Bond collection auction scheduled

U.K.-based Ewbank’s has scheduled an auction of the collection of Steve Oxenrider, the company announced on Instagram.

The auction will occur in two phases: Nov. 16 and 17 and spring 2024. An excerpt:

Steve Oxenrider is a retired educator from the USA, a world traveller and a life-long James Bond fan and collector. In 58 years, he has amassed thousands of Bond posters, stills, publicity and press material, toys and merchandising, programs, magazines, books, records and autographs.

According to the Ewbank’s website, here are some of the items to be auctioned.

—1965 Dr. No/From Russia With Love British poster. Estimate: £800 – £1,200, starting bid: £400.

—1964 Goldfinger British poster. Estimate: £5,000 – £8,000, starting bid: £2,400. Description: “This scarcely seen poster displays the rare style B design – James Bond (Sean Connery) and Pussy Galore (Honor Blackman) projected onto a gold hand. This alternate design by Robert Brownjohn was produced exclusively for promoting the film in Ireland whereas the English poster included the gold-coated Jill Masterson (Shirley Eaton). At the time, Irish censors were scandalised by the image of the bikini-clad Bond girl, resulting in this scarce yet similarly iconic ‘hand’ design.”

—From Russia With Love British advance poster. Estimate: £6,000 – £8,000, starting bid: £3,000. Description: “Joseph Caroff designed this 007 logo, commissioned by United Artists for press release letterheads for Dr. No (1962). The image was so well known that by the release of From Russia With Love, it was used alone for this country-of-origin British double crown.”