Heritage Auctions, based in Irving, is serving up a double dose of excitement for collectors.
On June 13, the auction house will showcase “You Only Bid Twice,” a new exclusive James Bond collection spanning Ian Fleming’s original novel to the modern-day film series.
The James Bond set will hit the auction block only a few weeks after Heritage’s recent record-setting Rolex Daytona stirred the watch world.
The Bond collection will surely generate headline-worthy numbers, as memorabilia spanning the history of the world’s most famous spy will be auctioned.
Among the standout items is a British Quad poster for the 1962 classic Dr. No, where Sean Connery first delivered the now-legendary line, “Bond. James Bond.” Fans and collectors can also bid on a production-used clapperboard from Die Another Day (2002) and a prop rocket from Timothy Dalton’s The Living Daylights (1987).
“James Bond isn’t just a character — he’s a cultural barometer,” said Alastair McCrea, Heritage’s Director of Entertainment via press release. “This collection captures the full sweep of his evolution, from Fleming’s original vision to the silver screen icon known worldwide.”
Other highlights include Fleming’s own PAN Award and an autographed first edition of On Her Majesty’s Secret Service: a reminder that before Bond was a movie icon, he was a literary icon too.
The sale comes at an interesting moment for the franchise, with Amazon/MGM now overseeing the future of the 007 brand. As fans await the announcement of the next Bond actor, the upcoming auction offers a chance to own a piece of history from every era of the spy’s evolution.
Meanwhile, Heritage’s Watch department on June 3 turned heads when a 1969 Rolex “Paul Newman” Cosmograph Daytona Ref. 6239 sold for a whopping $250,000. The watch is the same model famously worn by the Hollywood star and racing legend.
In October 2017, Paul Newman’s personal Rolex Daytona was sold at Phillips Auction House for $17.8 million. According to BobsWatches.com, the record-breaking sale ignited a 12-minute bidding war that captivated watch collectors and fans worldwide. Bidding began at $10 million and ultimately ended with a phone bidder taking home one of the most coveted watches in history.
No wonder the “tribute” watch pulled in a quarter of a million so easily.
“Vintage Rolexes remain enormously popular within the collecting community, and a magnificent example of this popular model, with the dial named after the Hollywood legend who famously wore this model,” Jim Wolf, Heritage’s Director of Watches & Fine Timepieces, said in another recent press release. “Nearly two dozen bidders knew it is a timeless classic.”
The recent watch auction at Heritage raked in a total of $3.8 million in sales, with standouts including a Patek Philippe Platinum Split-Seconds Chronograph that sold for $168,750, and an F.P. Journe Platinum Chronomètre Optimum that drew in $162,500.
A rare Tudor Submariner, once bought at a swap meet for $20, pulled in a remarkable $131,250.
The James Bond Auction will go live on Heritage’s website on Friday, June 13.