FROM RUSSIA WITH LOVE 1963 The Walther LP53 Luftpistole air pistol that was held by Sean Connery in publicity material. The pistol belonged to photographer David Hurn, on whose work the poster art was based. It was sold at Christie’s auctioneers in...

FROM RUSSIA WITH LOVE 1963

The Walther LP53 Luftpistole air pistol that was held by Sean Connery in publicity material. The pistol belonged to photographer David Hurn, on whose work the poster art was based.

It was sold at Christie’s auctioneers in London in November 2010 for a whopping £277,250 ($431,840) - more than ten times its estimated £15,000 - £20,000 selling price.

Why was Bond wielding an LP53 in the poster, and not the customary PPK? Because the crew forgot to bring one to the shoot. It so happened that David Hurn was an air pistol enthusiast, and he had his LP53 with him at the time.

The look of the LP53 in Bond’s hand was a popular image, and the gun was re-used in the Japanese publicity material for Goldfinger.