James Bond Original ‘Thunderball’ Movie Art Sells for $335,500
The movie poster illustration for the 1965 Bond movie starring Sean Connery by famed American artist Robert McGinnis leaves bidders “shaken and stirred.”
American artist and illustrator Robert McGinnis has created more than 1,200 memorable paperback book covers, as well as several iconic movie posters, but it was his original movie poster illustration for the 1965 James Bond classic, “Thunderball,” that left bidders shaken and stirred. The illustrator’s artwork from the film starring Sean Connery sold for $335,500 at Propstore Auctions in November.
The artwork depicts James Bond (Sean Connery) standing before the scantily-clad Fiona (Luciana Paluzzi), Domino (Claudine Auger), Patricia (Molly Peters) and Paula (Martine Beswick) with his harpoon gun and Bahamian cocktail in hand. At 8 1/2" x 16", the piece is rendered in oil and gouache on illustration board.
In addition to his work on James Bond films, McGinnis (American, 1926) has several iconic movie posters to his credit, including Breakfast at Tiffany’s (1961) and Barbarella (1968). His work for the James Bond series led producer Barbara Broccoli to say, “[McGinnis] captures the wit, excitement, and adventure of Bond in a series of brushstrokes.”
In 2022, another original illustration by McGinnis for Thunderball sold for $275,000 in robust bidding at Heritage Auctions Illustration Art Signature Auction.
