In 1953, novelist Ian Fleming penned his first title, Casino Royale, featuring 007 – making 2023 the 70-year anniversary of the cult classic hero.
© Piotr Zajac | | © Stefano Chiacchiarini '74
The origins of Bond
Author Ian Fleming was a British writer from a wealthy and well-connected background that lent itself to the concoction of such thrill-seeking and suave spy stories. Educated at Eton and Sandhurst, he himself served in the Naval Intelligence Division during World War II, with his close involvement in Operation Goldeneye inspiring his character development of Bond.
Indeed, the first novel Casino Royale went on to pave the way for eleven more, and it dealt with real-life themes, including Britain’s relationship with the US and defections of agents to the Soviet Union. It sold out within a month of its release and was subject to widespread critical acclaim.
Today, first-release original versions of the book are sold amongst collectors for anywhere between £8,000 - £80,000+, depending on condition; and should only be transported and stored in protective waterproof cases due to their high worth.
The film franchise
Now perhaps more famous for its film franchise, the first James Bond movie was ‘Dr No’. Released in 1962 and derived from the novel of the same name, it saw Sean Connery feature as Bond and was subject to a mixed reception – but following the release of ‘From Russia With Love’ the year after, it grew in popularity, as the series started to take shape.
Today, 25 James Bond films have been released, with seven actors having played 007: Sean Connery, David Nivan, George Lazenby, Roger Moore, Timothy Dalton, Pierce Brosnan and Daniel Craig. Connery and Moore frequently top fan charts as having delivered the favourite depictions, and Lazenby often the least; although Craig portrayed 007 through the highest grossing film, Skyfall, which took some £1.1 billion at the box office.
Prized possessions
With such a wide variety of film and pop culture adaptations of Bond, it’s no surprise that collectors flock to buy props and memorabilia from each book and film release. Nick Bennett holds the world’s largest Bond collection, with some 12,000 items stored at his home in North West England. Having featured in the Guinness Book of Records since 2013, Nick says he intends to sell it all eventually – with speculation rife online as to how much individual items could be worth.
Needless to say, he’s taking good care of it all until then: with pieces stored in robust stacking boxes, stacking and nesting containers, and open-fronted display cases.
Who’s next?
Now, focus turns to who will play 007 next following Daniel Craig retiring from the role. The bookies’ favourites included the likes of Idris Elba and Tom Hardy but with a producer on the films announcing the new Bond would be age “30-something”, it’s all speculation. High street bookmakers are including Henry Cavill, Rege-Jean Page, Richard Madden and James Norton – but only time will tell which actor will be donning the bow tie next!