Key Points
- Some of James Bond's iconic high-tech gadgets are up for sale in London.
- There are 61 lots available, including vehicles, costumes, and props.
Some of James Bond's iconic high-tech gadgets are up for sale at Christie's Auction House in London to celebrate 60 years since the release of the first movie, Dr No, in 1962.
There are 61 lots available, including vehicles, costumes, and props, and they're expected to raise more than £3 million ($5 million), which will be split with 45 different charities.
The star attraction is Bond's Aston Martin DB5 car.
Christie's director Adrian Hume-Sayer said the car was an "amazing creation".
"So obviously the Aston Martin DB5, there's no other car that is quite so inextricably linked with James Bond," he said.
"But that car particularly is an amazing creation. So as with all film props, for want of a better word, in the wider sense, because that's kind of what it is, there were a number produced for the film, but these stunt cars were produced in such a way that they would be capable of things that the original DB5 never would.
"So that's produced specifically for use on set. So it's not a road car, but it has the gadgets."
Whoever buys the stunt car will need to have the same kind of funding as one of Bond's super-villains; it's expected to reach between £1 and £1.5 million ($1.6 to $2.5 million).
There are other vehicles, costumes and props up for sale, including the Faberge-style egg from the 1983 Roger Moore movie, Octopussy; a stunt motorcycle from No Time to Die, and various costumes from the franchise.
Mr Hume-Sayer said the Bond movies have become part of all our lives.
"Everybody loves James Bond, every one of us have grown up with James Bond to some extent," he said.
"Everybody has that memory from childhood, from when you saw the repeated James Bonds on TV, when you went to the opening of a new film. So it just resonates with everybody."
Two watches worn by Daniel Craig as James Bond in No Time To Die are being auctioned at Christie's 'James Bond is Back' charity sale in central London. Source: Getty / (Photo by Ian West/PA Images via Getty Images)
These props and costumes have been a huge part of his life and bring back many memories.
"Well, there's no such thing as a favourite Bond to work on," Mr Wilson said.
"They are all exceptional events and they all bring back great memories and memories of issues that we had, the problems we had. And so it's a mixture of feelings about it. When you see these props, that brings back a whole mixture of different kinds of feelings."
James Bond, played by Daniel Craig in five films, starting with Casino Royale in 2006, died in last year's No Time to Die.
Speculation has been rife about who will next play the spy, with stars such as Idris Elba and Henry Cavill being rumoured to take on the role.
Speaking in an interview in 2016, Elba didn't seem to take the idea seriously.
"I think I'm too old for that, man - I can't be running around in cars, and ladies and martinis... who wants to do that?" Elba said. "It sounds terrible."
Michael Wilson said they're not even thinking about who will play Bond at this stage.
"I really can't say where Bond goes from here," Mr Wilson said.
"And we haven't even thought about it. We haven't thought about the type of Bond we're going to do or what problems the world is going to be facing in the next ten years.
"We have plenty right now to worry about. So we'll settle next year. So we'll begin to focus on where Bond goes from here."
In the past, many of James Bond's enemies have been from Russia, beginning with Soviet agent Colonel Rosa Klebb in the 1963 movie From Russia with Love.
But after Russia's real-life invasion of Ukraine, Mr Wilson thinks they may choose a different path for 007's next nemesis.
"Well, sometimes we would like to be in a parallel universe, and hopefully by the time we get around to making the next Bond film, things will be resolved and the immediate problems we have," he said. "But there'll always be new ones to worry about."
An online auction of 36 items is already underway and will close on 5 October.
