MI6 reports on all the James Bond exhibits at the UK Memorabilia show held on November 27th 2004...

Memorabilia Event - November 2004
29th November 2004

Memorabilia is a bi-annual show hosted at the NEC (Birmingham, UK) and this November there was a distinct 007 flavour to the proceedings. Aside from the many bargains to be found amongst the 700+ retailers, the focus of Bond fans at the event was on the special James Bond feature that displayed all of the recent and forthcoming 007 licenced merchandise.

Headlining the stand were the two forthcoming Sean Connery figures from Sideshow Collectibles. Never before seen in Europe, the stand displayed the prototype1/4 scale Sean Connery polystone standee, and the limited edition "Thunderball" Sean Connery 12" figure complete with underwater dive rig! Both Connery figures attracted crowds keen to see the yet-to-be-released collectibles as well as the hot "GoldenEye" trio that are shipping this month - Pierce Brosnan as James Bond 007, Sean Been as Alec Trevelyan 006 and Famke Janssen as Xenia Onatopp. The latest videogame based in the James Bond universe, "GoldenEye: Rogue Agent" was available to play on large free-standing Playstation 2 pods, along with the 2004 title "007: Everything or Nothing". Released a day prior to the show, gamers queued up to have a hands on experience of "Rogue Agent" and found out what it's like being bad in Bond's world. Right: The ¼ Sean Connery figure pulled in the crowds.

Another exclusive for the UK was the unveiling of the limited edition Carrera "Goldfinger" scalextric set which drew lots of attention, especially the faithfully recreated scale models of Bond's Aston Martin DB5 and Tilly Masterson's Ford Mustang from the 1964 film. The new James Bond edition of "Scene It?" the DVD game also had it's UK premiere at the show and visitors to the stand got a sneak preview of some of the questions that will be testing Bond fan's knowledge in the New Year.

Titan's latest title from their remastered James Bond comic strip series, "Goldfinger" (released a day prior to the show), was on display for those fans curious about the mysterious endings to the included story "Thunderball", along with a complete set of Titan Classics which were up for grabs in a prize draw. Penguin USA were also over in the UK with a display of their republished Ian Fleming novels - complete with retro artwork by Richie Fahey.

As well as a cornucopia of new 007 merchandise, many special guests from the films, past and present, were in attendance to sign autographs. Amongst the line-up were Colin Salmon (TND, TWINE, DAD), Maryam d'Abo (TLD), Richard Kiel (TSWLM, MR), Lawrence Makoare (DAD), Caroline Munro (TSWLM), Blanche Ravalec (MR), Eunice Gayson (DN, FRWL), Jan Williams (FRWL), Madeline Smith (LALD), Martine Beswick (FRWL, TB), Nikki Van Der Zyl (DN, FRWL, TB), Shane Rimmer (YOLT, DAF, TSWLM), Thomas Wheatley (TLD), Valerie Leon (MR), Virginia Hey (TLD) and Paul Darrow (DAD).

Stay tuned to MI6 for news of the next Memorabilia show in 2005.