James Bond Lives On in Thessaloniki Through Greek Super Fan

James Bond appears to have found a permanent base in Retsiki, Thessaloniki, where a passionate Greek collector has assembled an impressive and rare collection dedicated to the legendary British spy.

Christos Parasidis, a municipal employee in the city of Thessaloniki, has spent decades building a collection of James Bond toys, board games, replicas, books, and memorabilia spanning from the mid-1960s to the present day. His home features iconic items from the Bond universe, including the underwater spear gun from Thunderball, the legendary Aston Martin equipped with gadgets, the helicopter “Little Nellie” from You Only Live Twice, and figures of famous villains such as Jaws and Oddjob.

Parasidis began collecting Bond-related items in 1981 after his father took him to see a James Bond film in a cinema. Inspired by the spy’s on-screen adventures, he started gathering VHS tapes, DVDs, toys, and collectibles, gradually expanding his collection through trades and purchases across Europe.

Among his most prized possessions are rare board games from 1964 and 1965. He describes one underwater battle game found in Austria after difficult negotiations as his “holy grail,” while another rare board game discovered in France now sits framed behind glass for protection. The games include detailed figurines of divers, villains, and James Bond himself in his underwater combat suit.

The collection also includes glassware, watches, decorative items, model cars such as the Vanquish featured in later films, magazines, and dozens of books. Parasidis has also created original artwork, painted ties featuring scenes from Bond films, and handcrafted masks replicating the faces of iconic Bond characters.

Several of his replicas have reached collectors overseas, including one of the world’s most prominent James Bond collectors in the United States. Parasidis crafts the replicas by hand using papier-mâché, investing many hours of work driven by passion and attention to detail. He says buyers consistently rate his work highly within international collector communities.

One of the most striking items appears on his balcony: a massive “007” logo in the colors of the Greek flag, measuring seven meters wide and two meters high. The logo appeared at the Greek premiere of No Time to Die and later came into his possession after he helped promote the film online.

Parasidis also co-manages the international fan page “James Bond Fans 007 Greek Fans,” which brings together members from around the world to share news, photos, autographs, and commentary on the Bond franchise.

Looking ahead, the Thessaloniki collector says he has already begun efforts to organize the city’s first-ever James Bond exhibition. He also dreams of seeing Thessaloniki featured in a Bond film one day—even if only for a brief cameo—just to share the screen, however briefly, with his lifelong hero.