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James Bond 'Goldfinger' photographs sell for $4,000 at Bonhams auction
These James Bond 'Goldfinger' photos show behind-the-scenes of one of cinema’s most iconic images
Paul Fraser Collectibles, Monday 21 November 2011
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Photographs offering a rare glimpse into one of the James Bond films' most celebrated scenes have sold in London.
The three black-and-white photographs, showing actress Shirley Eaton being applied with gold paint, sold for £2,580 at Bonhams on November 17.
They capture the moment Eaton was transformed into Jill Masterton for the 1964 Goldfinger film.
James Bond, played by Sean Connery, discovers Masterton face down on a hotel bed in the film, killed by "skin suffocation".
Rumour has it that producers of the film were so concerned that Eaton may die from her pores becoming clogged, a small patch of her abdomen was left unpainted to enable her skin to breathe.
Scientific tests have since revealed "skin suffocation" to be an entirely mythical condition.
The iconic image of Masterton was ubiquitous in 1964, even appearing on the cover of Life magazine.
 Shirley Eaton gets prepped for her golden moment |
Application of the gold paint took more than an hour, during which time photographer David Hurn took the intimate, and highly collectible, snaps.
James Bond memorabilia is hugely popular with collectors.
We've invested in some superb pieces of our own here at Paul Fraser Collectibles, including signed photos from leading Bond actors, such as Sean Connery, Roger Moore and Daniel Craig.
Both Connery and Moore are much-loved elder statesmen of the British film scene. Craig could well follow suit, making his signature a real one for the future.
Bonhams' Jocelyn Phillips told UK newspaper the Daily Mail: "Hurn was a photo-journalist.
"The producers of the film commissioned him to take stills of the actors and clearly he had free reign and photographed Shirley Eaton being painted.
"The scene is one that really stands out in the memory. To see how she was painted with just a large brush is fantastic."
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Images: Bonhams
