California man prepares to sell nearly 60-year James Bond memorabilia collection for $1 million

A California man is selling his James Bond memorabilia collection at auction after spending nearly 60 years collecting over 30,000 unique and rare items.

A retired California schoolteacher is ready to cash in his collection of all things James Bond-related. 

Steve Oxenrider has a collection of over 30,000 items related to the Bond phenomenon, with some items dating back to the early 1960s when the series was first released. 

The San Francisco resident has shipped half his items so far to Ewbank’s Auction House in Woking, Surrey, England, ahead of the auction.

QUEEN ELIZABETH II'S RANGE ROVER HITS THE AUCTION MARKET AFTER NEARLY 20 YEARS AND OVER 100,000 MILES

Due to the large number of collectibles, Ewbank’s will auction off Oxenrider's collection in two parts — with the first half of the miscellany going live in November.

Some of the items included in the auction include original posters for "Dr. No," valued at over $15,000, and a signed "Thunderball" gala charity premiere brochure from 1965, which is expected to sell for over $1,000.

Although Oxenrider has over 30,000 items of memorabilia, he told Ewbank's that he still wishes he had call sheets from the earlier films in his possession. 

"They provide an intriguing insight into the production of a film," he said.

$10,000 BILL FROM 1934 SELLS FOR $480K AT TEXAS AUCTION

Oxenrider said the first items he acquired were James Bond trading cards in 1965.

These then led to books, lobby cards, magazines, comics, merchandise such as toys and games, music, posters, press material, scripts, still, movies and more.

The two-day auction for the first half of the collection will begin on Nov. 16.

It will be highlighted by posters from the earlier films — with the second auction scheduled for spring 2024. 

APPLE IPHONE FROM 2007 SOLD AT AUCTION FOR OVER $190000

Ewbank’s partner and head of entertainment memorabilia Alastair McCrea said the collection is "breathtaking."

"We have been holding dedicated James Bond auctions for years now, but this collection is on an entirely new level," he said. 

"The sheer breadth and depth of the collection is breathtaking and a tribute to the dedication and perspicacity of Steve Oxenrider — the ultimate collector of 007 material."

For those looking to grow their own memorabilia collection, Oxenrider said that doing your own research is key. 

CLICK HERE TO SIGN UP FOR OUR LIFESTYLE NEWSLETTER

"Do research on auction websites to see what’s available and price estimates," he said.

"Limit what you’re looking for and how much you want to invest."

The collector recommended getting in touch with trusted establishments that might be interested in selling or trading material.

James Bond, also referred to as "Agent 007," was a fictional character introduced in "Casino Royale" in 1953 as a British Secret Intelligence Service agent, according to Britannica. 

CLICK HERE TO READ MORE ON FOX BUSINESS

Bond was the product of British novelist Ian Fleming — who featured the character in 12 novels after "Casino Royale" and film adaptations, as Britannica also noted.

Some actors known for playing the role of Bond include Sean Connery, Pierce Brosnan and Daniel Craig. 

For more information on how to bid for the Bond memorabilia, visit Ewbank’s Auctions.

Fox News Digital reached out to Ewbank's for further comment.

For more Lifestyle articles, visit www.foxnews.com/lifestyle.

Stock Quote API & Stock News API supplied by www.cloudquote.io
Quotes delayed at least 20 minutes.
By accessing this page, you agree to the following
Privacy Policy and Terms and Conditions.