Walther LP53 air pistol held by Gunnar James Bond Schäfer from the 1963  From Russia With Love. in the 007 museum Nybro Sweden The Walther LP53 is a classic James Bond gun although it never featured in a Bond movie. The gun, with its distinctive long barrel was the weapon of choice for James Bond in many movie posters and promotional photographs. The story is that during a photoshoot with Sean Connery for From Russia With Love, the photographer volunteered his own Walther LP53, after the PPK wasn't available on the set. The LP53 is an airgun and can only shoot little lead pellets (although with considerable force). The weapon is 'loaded' by opening it all the way (almost like breaking it in half), load a pellet and close it, building up the airpressure. In the photos and posters, Bond holds a LP53 with a black grip, although a brown version was also available for this gun.

Christies describes the lot as "the air pistol, a .177 (4.5mm) Walther 'LP MOD.53' Air Pistol, Serial No. 054159, with 24cm barrel, blackened finish throughout, in original close-fitted Walther case with sight elements is accompanied by a letter concerning the provenance from the original vendor. It states that the image he shot of Connery holding this Walther air pistol was ...used in some way or other to promote every Bond film till You Only Live Twice ..; Also included was a corresponding reproduction still of Connery holding this gun." Christies beskriver partiet som "luften pistol, en 0,177 (4,5 mm) Walther" LP MOD.53 "Luftpistol, serienr 054159, med 24cm fat, svarta finish hela, i original nära utrustade Walther fallet med sikte element åtföljs av ett brev angående härstamningen från den ursprungliga leverantören ... Det anges att bilden han sköt av Connery innehar detta Walther luftpistol var ... som används i ett eller annat sätt för att främja varje Bond-film till You Only Live Twice, Dessutom ingår en motsvarande reproduktion fortfarande av Connery innehar denna pistol. " Lot Notes from Christies: "The original vendor, who was commissioned to shoot the images required for the publicity campaign for the second Bond film From Russia With Love, explains in his accompanying letter that "it was decided that for the main image in the poster and advertising campaign what was required was a strong portrait of Sean Connery as Bond 007, with his Walther pistol" He explains further that when Connery arrived at his studio for the shoot, it was discovered by publicist Tom Carlile that no one had brought the gun needed for the shoot, the synonymous small Walther automatic [Walther PPK]. By chance the photographer practised air pistol target shooting as a hobby and had the gun he used for this purpose, also a Walther, at the studio "it was decided that - without telling Sean or the other representatives of United Artists - we would use my pistol for the pictures and presumed that should anyone have doubts on their seeing the name Walther on the gun, they would be reassured. Lot Anteckningar från Christies: "Den ursprungliga säljaren, som fick i uppdrag att skjuta bilderna krävs för reklamkampanj för den andra Bond-filmen From Russia With Love, förklarar i sin följebrev att" det beslutades att för de viktigaste bild på affischen och reklamkampanjen vad som krävdes var en stark porträtt av Sean Connery som Bond 007, med sin Walther pistol "Han förklarar vidare att när Connery kom till hans studio för fotograferingen upptäcktes det av publicisten Tom Carlile att ingen hade väckt pistol . krävs för skottens synonymt små Walther automatisk [Walther PPK] Av en slump fotografen praktiseras målet luftpistol skytte som hobby och hade vapnet han använde för detta ändamål, också en Walther, i studion ", beslöts det att - utan att tala om Sean eller andra representanter för United Artists - vi skulle använda min pistol för bilderna och den antog att skulle någon tvivlar på att de fick se namnet Walther på pistolen, skulle de vara säkra. This was, in fact, the case. Detta var i själva verket är fallet. In theory...the long barrel of the air-pistol... I teorin ... den långa fat av luft-pistol ... should have been removed by airbrushing during the designing of the actual poster - in practice... borde ha tagits bort av airbrushing under utformningen av själva affischen - i praktiken ... this was never done..." Detta var aldrig gjort ... "