More
than two-hundred memorabilia from the James Bond films have been
sold at auction in London.
One
of the most sought after items to go under the hammer at Christies
was a steel-rimmed bowler hat used by Oddjob in the 1964 release,
Goldfinger.
The
hat went for just under sixty-two thousand pounds.
The
submarine car driven by Roger Moore in the Spy Who Loved Me sold
for more than twenty-eight thousand pounds, and a Rolex watch
worn by the same actor in Live and Let Die went for twenty-two
thousand pounds
The
steel-rimmed bowler hat used to deadly effect by Oddjob, one of
the most famous Bond villains of all, has sold for more than £60,000
at a massive auction of 007 memorabilia.
After
frantic bidding at Christie's in London, an anonymous telephone
bidder eventually secured the hat for £62,000.
In
the 1964 film Goldfinger, the actor Harold Sakata decapitates
a number of innocents with the deadly hat, before himself meeting
his end at the hands of Sean Connery.
It
was the most sought after item of more than 270 lots which went
under the hammer.
Serious
collectors joined Bond fans with only a few hundred pounds to
spend in the sale room as toys, posters, clothing and props were
sold.
Another
particularly sought after lot was the Lotus Esprit submarine driven
by Roger Moore in The Spy Who Loved Me. It eventually sold for
more than £28,000.
The
Rolex Oyster Perpetual worn by Moore in his first Bond film, Live
and Let Die, made around £22,000 - more than five times the estimate.
In
the film, the watch is adapted by Secret Service gadgets expert
Q to feature a powerful magnet.
A
single collection amassed by an avid Bond enthusiast over the
last 28 years formed the backbone of the sale, with a number of
other items coming from Bob Simmons, a stunt man on several Bond
films, and from other workers at Pinewood Studios.
Many
of the key props were originally displayed at the James Bond Nightspot
in the London Hilton Hotel during the 1960s and 1970s.
Seven
bullets with Bond's name on them - probably used to promote The
Man with The Golden Gun - each fetched around £1,500.
The
personalised number plate 0007 made £31,000 and dozens of posters,
toys and props made between several hundred and many thousands
of pounds.
Actor
Desmond Llewellyn, who played Q in the films, was astounded at
the sums being spent.
He
said: "I think it's fantastic, but these people are crazy.
The amount of money they are spending is unbelievable."
Graham
Rye, who sold Oddjob's bowler hat, was equally amazed at the money
being spent, but rather more pleased.
Mr
Rye, who runs the James Bond Fan Club, said he had no regrets
at selling his treasured memento. The money would be ploughed
back into the fan club.