Hello JR, Clint and all,
We are all longtime collectors and know things about
movie posters that many don't, such as original size, certain terminology,
etc. For instance, if you look at this seller's listing for Cool Hand Luke
and other titles as well, he uses the term original reissue. He also says it
comes rolled with sharp edges in a clear protective plastic wrap. He also states
that the size is 24x36. Now, we as collector's know that the original one sheet
is 27x41, not 24x36, did not come rolled, etc. As a collector, I wouldn't
call this a reissue, I would call it a reprint. I realize this may be just a
case of semantics to some, but to others it is an attempt to defraud. The
seller further states that it would take an expert to tell the difference. He
then goes on to tell you the values of the original and states that a reissue is
not as valuable, eluding to the idea that it does have some value, just not as
much as the original. I believe that is misleading.
I have many customers that buy my framing who have
bought from dealers like this assuming the poster is not just a reprint and will
eventually have some collectability. We know this is not the case. This seller
gives some whole story about the studios realizing the mass interest in their
movie posters and says they went back and made these reissues. I would like to
see proof of that, because I do the studio's framing here in Los Angeles and I
have been told by many that there has been no such project to reproduce and call
these posters reissues by the studio's. In fact I don't know any of the studios
that are even involved in making reprints of movie posters for sale. If they
were, though, there would be current dated copyright information on the bottom
of the poster and the ones I have framed from this company do not. Through the
years, there has been many licensed reproductions, obviously Portal Publications
is a good example, but there have also been smaller companies that have obtained
licensing rights for certain posters.
The bottom line is that I believe the ads are misleading
and perhaps even false. This seller has thousands of posters up for sale, some
of them originals, many of them not. These reproduction posters are just that,
reproductions, not "reissues". To call them reissues gives an impression of
their rarity and value that just isn't true.
Sue Heim
(800) 463-2994
----- Original Message -----
Sent: Saturday, May 20, 2006 10:52
AM
Subject: Re: [MOPO] stopping a fraud
seller
Clinton,
You need to be much more specific when you make a charge like this, and
include links to the auctions so that we can take a look and see what's going
on. It is important not to claim someone is a "fraud seller" without
documentation. For instance, the last time I checked believeinmovies listings,
he was selling high-quality, studio-authorized reprints and was clearly
identifying them as such in his auction descriptions -- this is very
different from trying to sell reproductions and claiming they
are originals printed at the time of the original release of the film.
Studio-authorized reprints are not "fakes" unless someone tries to pass them
off as original-issue posters. He does list these posters in the
"Originals" category, which bugs me, but so does everyone else who sells
reprints and reproductions. Sadly, eBay doesn't really care if something
is in the correct category or not, so there's nothing that can be done about
that.
Now, if believeinmovies has started selling reprints and
claiming they are original movie posters printed at the time the film was
original released and used in the promotion of the film at the time, then of
course that is fraud and should be reported to eBay by using the "Report This
Item" link at the bottom of the page -- sometimes eBay acts on this and
sometimes they don't. You can also send an email to anyone who has placed a
bid on them an inform them that they are not genuine originals. That's about
the only options one has for dealing with a seller who is misrepresenting an
item.
I actually bought one of believeinmovies studio-authorized FORBIDDEN
PLANET half sheet reprints because I like that version of the poster and am
unlikely to ever spend the really big bucks required to get a genuine
original. But it was very clear that I was buying a reproduction. The print
quality of the FORBIDDEN PLANET half sheet is excellent -- it looks exactly
like the original, except no NSS info at the bottom (instead there are two
separate places where it clearly says the poster was printed in 1995, so that
no one who looks is going to be fooled into thinking it was printed in 1956).
But, it is exactly the same size as the original (which is important to me).
The paper is very different from the original, it is slightly glossy,
significantly thinner paper than an original and the paper is a very bright
white (an original from 1956, printed on high-acid cardstock, would be light
tan or cream-colored by now).
I think these high-quality reprints are a benefit to the hobby/industry,
as they let people display some of the great old posters when the prices of
genuine originals have moved beyond the ability of most people to own
them.
The only time there is anything wrong with them is when some unscrupulous
(or just plain dumb dealer) tries to sell one as a genuine original-release
poster printed at the time the film was original released. If believeinmovies
is doing that, it's news to me -- please include some links to those auctions
so we can investigate.
-- JR
----- Original Message -----
Sent: Saturday, May 20, 2006
12:55
Subject: [MOPO] stopping a fraud
seller
Is there any way we can stop believeinmovies from
selling reprints and
listing them as original's about 90 percent of his
posters are fake
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