HERITAGE VINTAGE MOVIE POSTERS SIGNATURE AUCTION HIGHLIGHTS The Heritage Vintage Movie Poster Signature Auction is just around the corner (March 11 & 12, in Dallas, Texas and online at www.HA.com<http://www.HA.com>), and we want to take this opportunity to draw your attention to a few outstanding pieces. These are posters that we feel definitely deserve your attention, as they would make important additions to any collection. As always, your comments on these selections are more than welcome. Aside from their historic importance, many silent films are marked by their exceptionally beautiful posters, many rendered in an extremely pleasing stone litho style. Just take a look at these few choice examples:
The Lost Express<http://www.ha.com/693*64178&type=prte-pr022908b> (Mutual, 1917). 24 Sheet (104" X 232"): ESTIMATE: $4,000 - $8,000 Imagine the odds against something like this surviving. First of all, 24 sheets were produced in far smaller numbers than, say, one sheets. Also, they were typically intended for outside exhibition, on billboards and the like, meaning that recovering them after they were used was virtually impossible. This, then, is a true treasure, indeed. Helen Holmes, the star of this 15-chapter serial, was an interesting character. She grew up on a ranch in Death Valley, and was genuinely adept at skills like roping, shooting, and riding. She went to Hollywood in 1911, and found work through her friend, Mabel Normand, then working at Keystone. Holmes gained a reputation as a daring stuntwoman, and soon graduated to railroad-themed serials, like this one, and Western features. At one time, she was nearly as popular as serial star Pearl White, and she could frequently be seen chasing villains across the tops of moving trains. She retired from the screen in about 1925 to work a ranch with her husband, actor Lloyd Saunders, and by the mid-1940s, worked as a Hollywood animal trainer until her death in 1950. Sunrise<http://www.ha.com/693*64257&type=prte-pr022908b> (Fox, 1927). Window Card (14" X 22"): ESTIMATE: $8,000 - $12,000 One of the most important directors in the early years of German Expressionist cinema, F.W. Murnau is primarily remembered today for his landmark horror film, Nosferatu. Following this important film, an unauthorized adaptation of Bram Stoker's Dracula, Murnau made several more impressive German films, including Der Letzte Mann and Faust, and emigrated to America - and Hollywood - in 1926, where his first movie was Sunrise, honored in the very first Academy Awards celebration and largely considered one of the finest films ever made. A visually fascinating film about a simple man who falls under the evil spell of a brazen city girl, Sunrise received the only "Most Unique and Artistic Production" award ever presented by the Academy. It's fitting that no other film has been thus honored, as few productions could rival the depth and scope of this marvelous work. We're very pleased to offer an extremely attractive window card from this picture, the first poster of any type we've been privileged to present from this memorable film. Given the number of auctions we've run since 2001, and the incredible rarities that we've seen, the fact that we've never had anything from this picture until now should speak volumes about its incredible scarcity. Believe us when we say, if you pass up this opportunity, another one may not come your way for quite some time. Ben-Hur<http://www.ha.com/693*64388&type=prte-pr022908b> (MGM, 1925). Eight Sheet (78.5" X 104"): ESTIMATE: $8,000 - $15,000 Anyone with any interest in film is certainly familiar with the Charlton Heston version of this classic story, released in 1959, but many are unaware that that beloved picture was actually a remake of a silent movie, starring Ramon Navaro, released in 1925. Even if you're a diehard fan of this classic film - one of the most expensive silent epics ever made - you've probably never seen this spectacular stone litho eight sheet, one of the few posters of any type from this film that we've had the privilege of offering. In the seven years Heritage has been presenting vintage poster auctions, we've only ever seen two sets of lobby cards and a small assortment of programs and brochures from this classic title. This eight sheet is truly a thing of beauty, a museum-worthy piece that may very well be the only one of its kind. Rarer than rare, this one has to be seen to be fully appreciated. The Eagle<http://www.ha.com/693*64412&type=prte-pr022908b> (United Artists, 1925). One Sheet (27" X 41"): ESTIMATE: $10,000 - $20,000 One of the best posters ever produced featuring the legendary Rudolph Valentino, this is a magnificent stone litho image of that classic star in full Cossack regalia. One of the biggest stars of the silent era, Valentino was a sensation, mesmerizing audiences worldwide with his smoldering charisma and exotic good looks. When he died in 1926 at the tragically young age of 31, his funeral procession in New York City, attended by more than 80,000 mourners, was one of the largest public outpourings of grief ever seen. This poster, a copy of which sold in a previous Heritage auction for $38,837, perfectly captures this young star's bold, simmering gaze, making it an exceptional portrait of an immortal star. If you've been looking for an outstanding Valentino piece, or a great image that captures the essence of early Hollywood, you need to check this one out. Last Days of Pompeii<http://www.ha.com/693*65213&type=prte-pr022908b> (Independent, 1913). One Sheet (27" X 41"): ESTIMATE: $1,500 - $3,000 Watching a movie about Pompeii is like watching a movie about the Titanic: you know how it's going to end, but you're fascinated by the story. Apparently, this was true even in the cinema's earliest days, as this film, made in Italy in 1913, was a remake of an even earlier version, filmed in 1908! The highlights of this remarkable film are the exciting chariot race and the eruption of Mount Vesuvius, a special effects triumph for the time. This gorgeous early stone litho one sheet is beautifully executed, showing Fernanda Negri Pouget as Nidia, the blind girl, and Eugenia Tettoni Fior as Jone, her chief romantic rival, in a quiet moment by a reflecting pool before the spectacular destruction of the city. Anyone would be proud to display this lovely image, and we urge you to take a look at this one soon. That's just a small taste of all the great posters that await you in this exciting auction. Of course, you can find all 1,302 lots at www.HA.com/MoviePosters<http://www.HA.com/MoviePosters>, complete with full-color, enlargeable images and informative catalog descriptions, where you can even place your bids online. If you can't be with us in Dallas for the live auction, check out our new live bidding platform, Heritage Live, at www.HA.com/Live<http://www.HA.com/Live>. By simply logging in, you'll be able to follow the auction as it happens, via streaming audio and video, and even place your bids in real time, competing against bidders on the floor. Best of all, there's no extra Buyer's Premium required to use this exciting new service. It's part of your free membership at www.HA.com<http://www.HA.com>. As always, we're ready to help you with all your collecting goals, whether you're bidding in this auction to add to your collection, or you're considering consigning to a future auction. For more information, just call 1-800-872-6467, or email Grey Smith at [EMAIL PROTECTED]<mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED]>. We'll be back soon with more posters you shouldn't miss from the upcoming auction. Visit the MoPo Mailing List Web Site at www.filmfan.com ___________________________________________________________________ How to UNSUBSCRIBE from the MoPo Mailing List Send a message addressed to: [EMAIL PROTECTED] In the BODY of your message type: SIGNOFF MOPO-L The author of this message is solely responsible for its content.
