SCOTTISH acting great Connery, who passed away last month at the age of 90 at his home in the Bahamas, wielded the gun in 1962's 'Dr. No.'
"The silhouette of 007 holding this gun would go on to become the James Bond franchise's most iconic image and one of the most recognizable pop culture references of all time," said Martin Nolan, executive director of Julien's Auctions.
In 'Dr. No,' Bond is ordered by his British Secret Service bosses to reluctantly trade in his old, misfiring Beretta gun for the Walther, which has "a delivery like a brick through a plate glass window."
"The American CIA swear by them," Bond is informed.
Versions of the Walther remain 007's signature firearm, some 25 films later.
The deactivated handgun prop, one of two used in Connery's debut film, was owned by the original movie's armorer until it was sold off in a 2006 auction.
It will be one of more than 500 items in the 'Icons & Idols TRILOGY: Hollywood' auction held in Beverly Hills and online on December 3.
Other notable memorabilia will include a pilot's helmet worn by Tom Cruise in 'Top Gun' and Arnold Schwarzenegger's leather motorcycle jacket from 'Terminator 2: Judgment Day.'
Bond's next cinematic outing – believed to be the final movie for current 007 Daniel Craig – has been postponed due to the Covid-19 pandemic.
'No Time To Die' is currently scheduled for an April release.
Connery earned lasting worldwide fame and adoration for his smooth, Scottish-accented portrayal of the suave licensed-to-kill spy over several films.
The first actor to utter the unforgettable "Bond, James Bond," Connery is seen by many fans as giving the definitive portrayal of novelist Ian Fleming's creation.
Connery suffered from dementia in his final years, according to his widow Micheline Roquebrune. – AFP, November 11, 2020
