Article by Guest Author Peter Brooker

Every man needs a hobby. – James Bond Skyfall.

Today I'm going to give you some small insights on how to build a James Bond collection on the cheap. Most items from the world of James Bond come with a luxury price tag. I once sat opposite a guy at a dinner who bought Timothy Dalton's tuxedo he wore in Licence to Kill for 20k. He had just come from the auction house and had it in the back of his car. Sadly I only gleaned this information after the dinner and the gentleman had left driving off in his E-Type Jag. I bolted after him but he didn't see. I was tempted to say I hailed down a taxi and asked the driver to 'follow that 1965 Series 1 4.7 Roadster E-Type Jaguar' but that didn't happen so I can't.

But there are ways of building a James Bond collection without spending a fortune at Sotheby's. (But if you can drop 20k on a Timothy Dalton signed Tuxedo then by all means do, and footnote, if you're the gentleman in question reading this I would very much like to take you out for a coffee).

Scrapbooking

Yes you're never too old to start scrapbooking. And thanks to a childhood devoted to watching informational kids programs like Blue Peter and Wacaday, Scrapbooking comes easier to me than it would do to most.

In London you have two free newspapers available daily from most tube stations, The Metro and The Evening Standard. The Metro is more tabloid and ran by kids, so they love to talk about anything that might be blowing through the rumour mill of Bond, the Evening Standard on the other hand is a newspaper for grown-ups, despite endorsing Liz Truss in the July–September 2022 Conservative Party leadership election.

It doesn't fall foul of glib headlines or gossip, it likes to crunch the numbers and give you the solid stats. You'll often find stories related to James Bond saving cinema whenever Cineworld shares are in the toilet. If you start filling scrapbooks with cuttings from just these two newspapers, you're book shelves will be heaving in no time. Just don't put newspaper cuttings on the wall of the basement, you'll look like a serial killer.

Budget Bonds on Social Media

Whilst it's important to stay 'on brand' where you can, there are ways you can build a James Bond collection on a budget, by getting frugal alternatives to the original.

With James Bond's wardrobe I will always try and shop from the source where I can. Frank Foster for example who made shirts for Sean Connery, George Lazenby, Roger Moore (both as Bond and in his personal life) are still going strong on Pall Mall street and I get my shirts there where I can when I'm feeling flush. N.Peal have provided clothes for Daniel Craig's Bond since as early as Skyfall. I have some beautiful cashmere sweaters, one of them being the No Time that Bond wears in the final act.

But if you're looking to dress like Bond, but can't afford the TOM FORD price tag, or simply can't get onboard with the brand ran by a man who takes 10 baths a day, then do look up these following accounts on Instagram. Dressed to Thrill, Budget Bond, Royale Film Wear.

Rocks, Sand, Fridge Magnets, City Maps

If I'm at a James Bond location, I always sneak away a small rock or two, or a tiny bottle of sand if it's a James Bond beach. Someone told me it is illegal to take sand from a beach and I was directed to The Coastal Acts of 1949.

I downloaded the 75 PDF from government website, poured myself a long a scotch and was about to unpack the document and dive head first into the weeds of British litigation when I realised it was incredibly wordy. And there were literally and wait for this, literally no pictures to break up the text.

So you might have to run the risk on this one, or do your own research. But collecting little souvenirs from the James Bond locations (legally or otherwise) can be great fun and is either free or dirt cheap.

Second Hand Books & DVD Coasters

In thrift stores you'll always find James Bond books or James Bond DVD's. The DVD's can go for a pound in most charity shops and make ideal coasters for your collection.

I have all the James Bond films on Blu Ray, although some are missing and could have possibly got swapped for the DVD coasters at some point during the house move. In case you're wondering if this is a heart breaker, it is.

Always be on the lookout for the books, especially any early edition Ian Fleming ones that may have been donated by mistake. They can be worth a pretty (Money)penny. I’ll show myself out.

Frame the Calendar or Posters

One of the problems with building a James Bond collection on the cheap is filling the wall space. Ideally you want to find an incredible artist to do some original artwork for peanuts in exchange for love and free promotion. (Please check out my Mum's artwork and DM for any portraits, she is taking commission).

Another way is to repurpose the James Bond calendar or poster books. My poster book got soaked in the rain one time waiting for George Lazenby's autograph, so I peeled out the pages and had them framed. James Bond posters are not cheap, and sadly neither are the poster books these days. But the second hand ones are still reasonably priced.

That's it from me. PS - tickets to see my James Bond rock & sand collection are free, but beer must be provided to the host on entry.

Main Photo by Samuel GiSamuel Girvenven on Unsplash