Hitchcock titles are always popular, and film posters
featuring cinematic icons such as Audrey Hepburn, Marilyn
Monroe and James Dean are also very collectable.”
Ewbank’s entertainment and memorabilia specialist, Alastair
McCrea, said: “Vintage posters have always been a success for
us with prices on the rise. Our movie poster auction will
feature more than 2,000 posters ranging from the 1930s to the
modern day.”
Collectors prefer posters that are produced for the
country of origin meaning the British version of a James Bond
film will sell for more than the American version. While for
Breakfast at Tiffany’s the reverse would be true.
The top lot in the film poster section of Christie’s 2012
vintage poster sale was Casablanca, which sold for £25,000.
The ‘quad’ for 1963’s From Russia with Love – known as
the holy grail for Bond poster collectors – sold for $14,000
(£9,200) at a Hollywood auction in 2012.
A quad is a UK poster measuring 30ins by 40ins (72cm
by 100cm) in landscape format. It was described as possibly
the rarest of all theatrical release James Bond posters, with
very few originally printed and just a handful believed extant.
Its iconic artwork was completed by Renato Fratini.
Film Buffs
The price of film posters may have soared, with the best examples selling for
tens of thousands, but it is still an affordable art form, writes Beth Papworth
WHILE MOST EXPENSIVE MOVIE poster ever sold, Metropolis realised a
staggering $1.2 million (£767,000) in 2012, Surrey-based auctioneers
Ewbank’s movie poster sale this month sees many posters go under the
hammer with low estimates of just £40. But for the new collector, how do
you separate the Oscar contenders from the box office flops?
Christie’s vintage film specialist, Emma Luketic, said: “The two
factors which have the most impact on the value of a poster are its
availability and its condition. Due to limited print runs and the age of
many posters, it is often the case that examples are difficult to track
down or are found in poor condition.”
The original King Kong posters are extremely popular, one making
$388,375 (£254,602) at Heritage Auctions, in Dallas, in December 2014.
Emma continued: “Iconic horror and science fiction films
consistently make the highest prices at auction. Early James Bond and
Main picture: The Phantom From 10,000 Leagues (1955). A set of eight US
lobby cards, starring Kent Taylor, American Releasing Corp, estimated at
Ewbank’s sale at £50-80
Left to right: Zoulou (1964) French Petitie film poster, starring Stanley Baker,
artwork by Roger Soubie, Paramount, estimated at Ewbank’s sale at £50-80.
American Guerrilla in the Philippines (1950). US one-sheet film poster, starring
Tyrone Power and directed by Fritz Lang, estimated at Ewbank’s sale at £50-80.
The Duke Wore Jeans (1958). A UK double crown film poster, starring Tommy
Steele, artwork by Tom Chantrell, estimated at Ewbank’s sale at £50-80.
Frank Zappa’s 200 Motels, a 1971 musical surrealist film co-written and directed
by Frank Zappa and Tony Palmer, estimated at Ewbank’s sale at £40-60.
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More than 2,000 posters from the 1930s to the modern day
will go under the hammer on April 22 at Ewbank’s sale in Surrey.
Christie’s next poster sale is on June 4 in South Kensington.
What to look for:
memorabilia expert Paul Fraser
“There is only one question to ask yourself, was this
poster produced by a studio as an advertisement or
was it meant to be sold to the public?
“If your answer is the former of these choices, then
you could be on to a good thing. Collectable movie
posters are the ones that were printed and designed by the film studio for
distribution to cinemas. Reprints and those intended for retail are not produced in
limited quantities and therefore, have very little value.
“Generally speaking, the older and more popular the film, the more valuable
your poster will be. That said, there are a number of factors to consider, such as
condition, aesthetics and provenance, all of which are vital when it comes to
poster collecting.
“It’s important to remember that not all movie posters are the same, with
a range of different shapes, sizes and paper types that will all affect the final
value. This also varies from country to country, and the US will often have
different sizes available to those in the UK and Europe. There is plenty of
information online about this, which can be found on any of the dedicated sites.
Overall, if it’s a well-preserved collection and it fulfils the criteria set out
above, I’d say it is worth investing. Remember, movie posters are easily damaged
and condition is key when it comes to selling - a visit to a professional restorer
may be worthwhile.”
For more details visit www.paulfrasercollectibles.com
What they sold for:
The best illustrators command the best prices. Robert E.
McGinnis (b. 1926) is a reputed artist, famous for thousands of
paperback covers and countless movie posters. He has an innate
understanding of the female form and his ability to convey a
sensual elegance has made him a favourite among art directors.
McGinnis was an apprentice at Disney Studios before leaving
to study Fine Art at Ohio State
University. After serving in the
Merchant Marines during the
Second World War, he began a
successful career in commercial
illustration. He has illustrated
covers for all the major
publishing houses, including Dell
and Signet, and for magazines
such as Ladies’ Home Journal,
Time and Saturday Evening Post.
One of his first movie
assignments was illustrating
Audrey Hepburn for the now
iconic Breakfast at Tiffany’s
poster. He went on to work on
more than 40 film campaigns,
Diamonds Are Forever, 1971, Eon/
including dozens of Bond
United Artists, original concept
posters. McGinnis is still v