Holy grail of Bond collecting?
Dodge101
Posts: 55MI6 Agent
Recently I've been watching some youtube channels about car and bike collecting and the hosts of those channels constantly talk about being on the search/lookout for the 'holy grail' of car and of bike and it got me wondering, is there such a thing as the 'holy grail' of bond collecting? or could it be that because there is too many movies, one person's idea of the 'holy grail' will differ from anothers and thus it's impossible to come to any conclusion on what could that one item could be.
Comments
The 'missing/stolen' DB5 is a kind of Holy Grail but blimey, the list for this could be quite long.
Surely it differs from collector to collector?
Mine would be...
I am lucky to have crossed a few previous Holy Grails off the list but these would be the final 3 for me then I can retire lol.
The cars are beautiful but unobtainable for me but if I could include these then surely it would be the DB5 and S1?
Her Majesty’s loyal terrier, defender of the so called faith.
This offering from Prop Store is a sort of Grail for me.
I'm looking for a few Bond casino items (always) and would love Blofeld's gold Spectre ring but supposedly only two exist.
Subjective of course, but mine would be (pure fantasy and totally unrealistic);
Aston Martin DB5
Aston Martin V8
Aston Martin DBS (OHMSS)
Aston Martin DBS (CR/QoS)
Lotus S1
Lotus Turbo Esprit
Roger's Dinner Suit from TSWLM
Roger, George's or Tim's Rolex Submariner
George's Rolex Chronograph
I never spotted that he has a gold one, you learn something every day! 😊
Also spotted--very few of the Spectre agents or henchmen in SPEC/NTTD have rings at all. :(
Connery's Goldfinger toupee.
Factory entertainment made a replica as I recall - not the same I grant you
Her Majesty’s loyal terrier, defender of the so called faith.
Didn't realize they'd done a Blofeld version.
Bond Grails vary from collector to collector: Some folks value only hero props, others watches, some particular "flats", others vintage toys.
A few of mine would be:
Disco Volante [prototype] by A.C. Gilbert
Bollinger "Bullet"
YOLT safe cracking device (Realistically EON has it, I'd just like to see it!)
Toyota 2000 "convertible"
OHMSS Asprey box & contents
CR Defibrilator
It is interesting seeing the replies, thank you for responding but you have all confirmed something I originally thought of which is that one's person 'grail' will differ from person to person. I would therefore like to ask this. A 'holy grail' can sometimes be linked to something that was extremely iconic of an era but of very limited numbers or something that is uniquely associated with a well known person.
Therefore with regards to Bond movies, would your perception of a Bond holy grail be something that has been personally touched or used by the principle Bond actor or would you percieve the 'holy grail' to be anything that was used in a Bond movie?.
for me it would have to be something personally used or touched by the principle Bond actor.
Good questions. We've asked questions like these at our fan events--of hundreds of fans--Janine Sherman and I have run fan events since 1988--and I've participated in corporate fan studies and controlled studies. Deb Lipp wrote a book also, focused on Bond fan reviews and concepts: https://www.amazon.com/Ultimate-James-Bond-Fan-Book/dp/1735741000/ref=asc_df_1735741000/?tag=hyprod-20&linkCode=df0&hvadid=459548642075&hvpos=&hvnetw=g&hvrand=11660722235944577554&hvpone=&hvptwo=&hvqmt=&hvdev=c&hvdvcmdl=&hvlocint=&hvlocphy=9011700&hvtargid=pla-973428319396&psc=1
Most fans have a special place in their hearts for the first Bond film they saw and props from that film.
I have a soft spot for iconic items that are recognized on sight. You wouldn't know a rotary phone from M's desk in most cases but almost everyone knows the Faberge egg or a Golden Gun. The Gun was never held by Bond but it's iconic aka a "hero [important] prop".
You seem to be asking if there isn't consensus on a Bond Grail being "XYZ"; the few responses here would suggest, again, that no, it isn't this thing or that thing, it isn't like philately or something where there are agreed standards.
Ignoring literature or "flats" (i.e., posters, etc.), twenty, maybe thirty years ago Bond memorabilia largely consisted of licensed goods -- primarily toys but other products as well -- available on the open market. At that time, I would say there was general agreement on certain items being both desirable and hard-to-find.
That's since been effectively eclipsed by the prop and lifestyle collectors; today, Bond toy collecting, for example, is a niche interest pursued by just a handful of fans.
Moreover, I have been told in no uncertain terms that because what I have doesn't consist specifically of items handled by the principal actors (that is, Connery, Moore, et al), then I own a whole lotta **** but I don't own a 007 collection per se.
"When I was a child, I spoke as a child, I understood as a child, I thought as a child: but when I became a man, I put away childish things."
So yes, to that end, there are members of the "community" who have appointed themselves standard bearers for what defines Bond memorabilia and acknowledge particular pieces as grails to the point of likely excluding what others might consider.
Reasons I've largely given-up collecting.
I was not meaning to imply with my post that Bond has to have held an item to make it special.
You have fabulous and diverse props that are rare, historic, interesting and important.
Sometimes the dreams of having certain holy grails become reality:
Almost 2 years ago, I was able to add this to my collection. An 18 year odyssee came to an end.
IG: @thebondarchives
Check it out, you won’t be disappointed
a screen used Bernard Lee pipe.
Don't know that it's a grail for me but the actual in-flight magazine is still on my list.
Do have a screen-used mock-up.
Who are you addressing?
If me, wasn't you I was quoting.