Rare Bond "Thunderball" poster heads for auction

By Will Russell

WOKING, England (Reuters) - A rare poster for the 1965 James Bond film "Thunderball" is headed for auction on Friday - and expected to go under the hammer for up to $16,000.

The highlight of an online sale of Bond memorabilia, the Advance British Quad poster has four panels depicting the suave 007 agent, then played by Scottish actor Sean Connery, fighting villains or surrounded by scantily clad women.

Measuring 30 by 40 inches, the linen-backed poster was designed to be cut into four, according to British auctioneer Ewbank's, which anticipates it fetching between 8,000 and 12,000 pounds (around $11,000 - $16,500).

"There's always been a huge collector base for James Bond related items which seems to just be growing," Ewbank's valuer Natalie Davies told Reuters.

Friday's "James Bond 007" auction also includes an original 1962 British Quad poster for the first Bond film "Dr No", which has a 6,000-9,000 pounds price tag.

Also on offer are props including a metal lightbox sign with "Albert R Broccoli 007 Stage" written on it, referring to the late American film producer, and which used to hang at Pinewood Studios.

A replica top hat as worn by Oddjob in the 1964 film "Goldfinger" is seen fetching 2,000 - 4,000 pounds.

"All of our sales are now taking place completely online and we’ve actually noticed quite a big increase in bidding," Davies said of auctions during the COVID-19 pandemic.

"People seem to really have adapted amazingly well... I should imagine people will continue to bid online (once lockdowns end)." ($1 = 0.7279 pounds)

(Reporting by Will Russell; Writing by Marie-Louise Gumuchian; editing by John Stonestreet)