“GOLDFINGER” (1964) – ORIGINAL JAPANESE B1 THEATRICAL POSTER – JAPAN‑ONLY CAMPAIGN ART (DESIGNER UNCREDITED) Extremely Rare | Large Format | First Japanese Release (1965) | c. 72.8 × 103 cm (B1)
“GOLDFINGER” (1964) – ORIGINAL JAPANESE B1 THEATRICAL POSTER – JAPAN‑ONLY CAMPAIGN ART
Extremely Rare | Large Format | First Japanese Release (1965) | 72.8 × 103 cm (B1)
This is an original Japanese B1 poster printed for the first Japanese theatrical release in 1965 of Goldfinger (007／ゴールドフィンガー), Guy Hamilton’s third 007 film starring Sean Connery with Honor Blackman, Gert Fröbe, Shirley Eaton and Harold Sakata; music by John Barry. Japan opened the film 1 April 1965, following its 1964 UK/US premieres. Goldfinger became the first Bond film to win an Academy Award (Best Sound Effects/Editing) and cemented the series’ formula—Q‑branch gadgets and the debut of the Aston Martin DB5—now central to Bond iconography.
Japan‑only design & credit
This scarce B1 carries a domestic‑market composition: graphic red “007” target rings on a torn‑black field, Connery’s tuxedoed Bond with Walther, the English/Japanese title stack, and the gold‑painted girl along the vertical band. The artwork is unique to the Japanese campaign and was issued without designer credit—typical for studio/agency work on 1960s UA Japan materials. Comparable first‑release Japanese posters are documented by major dealers and auction houses.
Poster design (what you see here)
A pop‑graphic bullseye of two colossal red zeros frames the sheet; within the upper circle, a small still of Bond sits over the cyan “SEAN CONNERY as agent 007.” Down the left runs a vertical title block with 「ゴールドフィンガー」 and GOLDFINGER in English; the reclining, gold‑painted figure is integrated into the band—an unmistakable nod to Shirley Eaton’s iconic image. The layout broadcasts mid‑’60s Bond‑mania at a glance—sleek, modern, and immediately legible at lobby distance. (See our detail photos for period micro‑printing and typography.)
About the B1 format (size & rarity)
Japanese theatrical posters were issued in several B‑series sizes. B1 = 728 × 1030 mm (28.7 × 40.6 in)—twice the area of the common B2—and was printed in smaller quantities for prominent theater displays, so survival is markedly lower. Collectors and size guides consistently describe the B1 as a rarer large format relative to the standard B2.
The film’s significance
Goldfinger is frequently regarded as the moment when “all the right elements” locked in: Connery’s definitive turn, Ken Adam’s production design, Barry’s brassy title song (Shirley Bassey), and the gadget‑laden DB5, which became “the most instantly recognisable car of all time.” The film’s Oscar win and box‑office strength fixed Bond as a global pop‑culture phenomenon.
Why this example is extraordinary (rarity & market)
Japanese first‑release B1s for Connery‑era Bond titles almost never surface, and we have never seen this B1 offered for sale before. Issued for theater display and typically discarded after use, finding a museum‑grade, unused survivor is exceptional—especially with this striking Japan‑only artwork.
Condition
Excellent / close to near‑mint. Rolled and unused (intended for billboard/lobby display); deep, unfaded inks, clean margins; only the lightest handling visible under raking light. Please review our many close‑ups—they show the exact poster offered.
It is ~59 years old (1965 issue).
It is not a reproduction or a reprint.
Certificate of Authenticity included.
A museum‑worthy opportunity to secure the ultra‑rare, first‑release Japanese B1 for Connery’s defining Bond film—an imposing, Japan‑market design that captures Goldfinger’s modernist punch and mid‑’60s glamour.
