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  1. Original 'Die Another Day' Costumes Sell at Benefit Auction

    By David Winter on 2004-06-18

    Vincent Price's Beverly Hills Home

    CBn was on the scene last night when the “Blades” fencing costume worn by Pierce Brosnan and the maroon “Laser Lair” catsuit worn by Halle Berry in 2002’s hit James Bond film, Die Another Day, were sold as part of a special private auction hosted by the world-renowned Christie’s Auction House and benefiting the USC School of Cinema-Television. The invitation only event was held in the palatial former home of actor Vincent Price in Beverly Hills. The costumes were donated by Michael G. Wilson, a long time supporter of the USC film school program (where Wilson taught a class in 1998).

    Brosnan & Berry's DAD costumes

    Pierce Brosnan’s James Bond fencing costume sold for $1,800 as part of the silent auction before the live event. Halle Berry’s Jinx catsuit fetched $1,700. Also part of the silent auction was one of the special James Bond 40th Anniversary Omega Seamasters (number 105 of a limited edition of 10,007) which sold for $1,300.

    Omega Seamaster

    During the spirited Live Auction, a ticket to Hugh Hefner’s annual “Midsummer Night’s Dream Party” at the Playboy Mansion (which James Bond himself attended in Raymond Benson’s short story Midsummer Night’s Doom) sold for $5000 to a woman who said she was buying it as a gift for her husband.

    Willy Wonka's Gold TicketClearly the most coveted item of the night was an original Golden Ticket from the 1971 film Willy Wonka & the Chocolate Factory. Bond fans will recall that this film — and the book on which it was based — was written by You Only Live Twice screenwriter Roald Dahl. The ticket, one of only five still in existence, was the last offering of the night and fetched a whopping $10,000.

    Some interesting non-Bond items sold were a pair of Wolverine’s claws from X-2: X-Men United ($2000), Alfred Hitchcock’s last passport and California drivers license Live Auction($6,500), and lunch with Steven Spielberg in his private DreamWorks dining room (price unavailable).

    The fundraising event was held as part of the USC School of Cinema-Television’s 75th Anniversary. All the auction items were donated and all proceeds from the sale go directly to the film school. Christie’s also donated their services for the evening.

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