Bonhams recently announced the auction of Roger Moore's collection, which will go under the hammer on 4 October later this year. The auction contains approximately 200 lots, many of which are associated with his James Bond lifestyle both on and off the big screen.
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The auction marks the 50th anniversary of Live and Let Die (1973), which was Roger Moore's first James Bond movie. The collection is being sold by Moore's children, who intend to donate some of the proceeds to UNICEF, a foundation that Roger Moore worked with. Bonhams Global Director, Valuations & Private Collections Harvey Cammell said: "Sir Roger Moore was a true icon of the silver screen, best known for bringing his natural charm and panache to the role of 007. Bonhams is honored to be offering his personal collection for sale and giving this unique opportunity for Bond fans to get a little closer to the man himself."
The iconic suits
Besides being globally known as 007, Roger Moore was known for his sharp appearance. Many of the clothes from the Bond sets were Moore's to keep – his son, Geoffrey Moore, says that for example, one of his suits was "fitted for Roger, so it was very difficult for the studios to take it back because it was bespoke. It was a given that he kept those clothes, and he did wear them out to the Academy Awards."
Related: The 6 Most Expensive Film Costumes Sold At Auction
The suits are conservatively estimated at £20,000 – £30,000, but it is fair to believe that the hammer price will be in the six-figures, especially for the Douglas Hayward suits that Moore wore in the Bond movies Octopussy (1983) and A View To A Kill (1985).
Various Remarkable Items
The auction catalogue features many interesting items up for sale, including Roger Moore's Hollywood Walk of Fame plaque from 2007 (estimate at £10,000 – £15,000) and his personally owned movie posters for movies such as The Spy Who Loved Me (1977) and Moonraker (1979).
Many of us have seen the Bond movies where Roger Moore is skiing, including in For Your Eyes Only (1981), and Moore was in fact an excellent skier. There are some ski-related lots in the auction, including his screen-used ski outfit from A View To A Kill (1985), and two pairs of personally owned and used skis with somewhat low estimates at £500 – £1,000.
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The Most Expensive James Bond Memorabilia Ever Sold at Auction
With James Bond being the most famous and longest-running movie series of all time, it is no surprise that collectibles connected to James Bond are highly sought-after by buyers all over the world. A 1953 first edition and first impression copy of Ian Fleming's Casino Royale is valued at $50,000 or more, depending on its condition. Various movie props from any of the Bond movies can fetch six-figure numbers.
See also: Aston Martin: Luxury, Race and Velocity
If we look at the single most expensive Bond memorabilia ever to be sold at auction, we find a very special car: the Aston Martin DB5 from Goldfinger (1964). Notably, this car is not only the most expensive Bond memorabilia, it's also the most expensive movie memorabilia – all categories included. With a selling price at the impressive amount of $6.385 million, the car tops all the lists.