TORONTO/LONDON FILM AUCTIONS; POSTER NEWS BULLETIN

BLOG PRESENTS NEWS ABOUT MOVIE POSTERS;


POSTER NEWS BULLETIN;

A flurry of upcoming activity in the world of movie paper collecting with three auction/shows in the next few weeks.

September 11 marks the first Sunday cinema poster sale for Christie’s South Ken in London. When we were on the antique show circuit, Sunday was our dreaded day, filled with tire kickers, be backers and lid lifters. Most dealers called it Museum Day, with mostly browsers. There were also The Vultures, since this was the last day of most shows and creepy groups of bargain hunters would hang around till we were about to pack and then start making lowball offers. I hope Christie’s has better luck. But then, after eons in business, they’ve hardly depended much on luck all that much. As for the auction, it’s just about the best selection in several years. With over 400 lots, they are revving back up to the late 90s five hour marathon auctions. Among my favorite lots: one sheet (27 x 41 inches) for the 1949 re-release of Tod Browning’s Freaks; War of the Worlds (1953) half-sheet (28 x 22) -- with a hefty estimate of $11,000 to $14,000; 2001 (1968) Eye one sheet; the style B one sheet for The Producers (1967); the Japanese double panel (20 x 58) for Two For The Road plus a strong selection of paper from Breakfast at Tiffany’s (1961) including several lobby cards (14 x11) a window card (14 x 22) as well as a 3 sheet (41 x 81) and an Italian photbusta(various sizes - this one is 19 x 27). There’s also the 1965 release one sheet, which is one of the better images on the title. The sale also features some strong Bond material, new wave country of origin posters, Hitchcock items and a number of original release UK quads. To order the catalog or view it on line: www.christies.com

Mike Orlando of the noted Toronto poster shop Hollywood Canteen, is organizing a show of tv and movie ephemera to take place Sunday, September 11 at Days Hotel, 30 Carlton Street, Toronto. Mike says there are to be 30 dealers with at least 5 from the U.S. The Saturday before the show, Hollywood Canteen is also having an auction (in association with Richie’s of Toronto) featuring “Art, Fiction & Fantasy In Film” with posters by Rockwell, Vargas, Petty, Bass, etc. plus posters based on famous literary works and a number of posters for major science fiction and fantasy films. Information on both events can be found at www.hcanteen.com Bonus is that all prices realized will be in Canadian $, which gives buyers about a 15% discount. This is in sharp contrast to the Canadian Internet dealers who post prices in U.S. dollars and then pocket the difference. A few years ago I was in Toronto when the Canadian dollar was at about 70 cents. I called a major poster dealer and said I would like to come over and buy a pile of stuff. She told me she was much too busy and that I should use their web site when I got back to the States. Needless to say, I never did. I only register this complaint because we started business in Canada and dealt with American dealers and collectors for ten years . Whenever the C$ was below the US$ (and it did fluctuate back then), we would always give the discount. At any rate (pun intended) Mike’s auction and sale would make for a nice weekend in Toronto, a city that will surprise and amaze you with how boring it is. (Obviously, we spent our ten years in Canada in Montreal, arch enemy of Hog Town.)

rudy franchi
rudy@nostalgia.com
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