Oh, Rick, c'mon... the current situation is nothing like all the
previous examples you cite. As you pointed out, with all the others
there were ways for an educated buyer to recognize that he wasn't being
offered an authentic original theatrical release poster. Different
dimensions. Different paper. Fuzzy printing. Wrong colors. The fact that
Portals had contradictory information printed in their bottom borders
(like putting zip code on a 1939 poster).
The current scandal involves fakes so well done that for at least two
years they passed through the hands of many long-time and knowledgeable
dealers and collectors who DID NOT RECOGNIZE they were fakes.
That's a completely different thing. In the past an educated buyer could
protect himself if he bothered to make the effort, as you say. But
that's not the case here. So it is perfectly rational and justified for
people to feel far more worry and fear about the current scandal. What
isn't justified is pretending that it's no big deal and that nothing has
to change in the selling community to meet this new challenge -- at
least where very expensive posters are concerned. It's unlikely that a
talented forger is going to go to all that time and effort to create a
superb fake for a poster that is not worth at least a couple thousand
dollars.
You are quite right that where 90% of posters are concerned, there is no
need for for alarm and things should continue as they have been. But for
the highest 10% of poster sales, the situation has changed dramatically
and it would be foolish to pretend otherwise.
-- JR
[email protected] wrote:
From the frightened, desperate tones of some of the posts, it sounds
almost like an old Twilight Zone episode, where all the townspeople
(movie poster collectors) are convinced that the poster world out
there is a scary, scary place and only their "Fearless Leader" can be
trusted. Everyone...everyone else will lead them into the dark pit
filled with lies, repros and despair.
Sure, there are a lot of snakes out there...even some of the bigger
names in the hobby. But when I first started collecting movie posters
in the late 70's + early 80's, EVEN THEN we had to deal with Portal
Reproductions. Hey, back then Realart posters were thought to be just
above garbage ( I remember selling a Realart Frankenstein title card
for $50 or $75). Anyway, it took a few years to LEARN THE HOBBY. I
remember driving 100 miles to an old woman's house who said she had a
"Original Dracula" poster--swore it had been in her family for 50
years! When I got to her house, I knew IMMEDIATELY it was a Realart
reproduction. but I LEARNED from that mistake. I realized that
before driving those 100 miles, I should have requested the poster's
measurements. If I had, I would have been ONE STEP CLOSER to realizing
that what she had wasn't authentic---at that time, I was aware of the
standardized sizing of US posters. I probably would have asked the old
lady a few more questions---she would have revealed that the poster
said "Portal Publications---Sausalito, CA" in the bottom border---and
I wouldn't have had to drive 100 miles. But way back then, I
NEVER got angry about these types of useless sojourns to hell and
back---because, in fact, they WEREN'T useless! Through all the effort
I put out, I was LEARNING THE HOBBY.
It's obvious that things are way more scary now out there now than
back then---repros everywhere. One thing to remember in Movie Poster
collecting, as in Life----99.9% of the time, if it looks too good to
be true, guess what---IT IS! A MoPo member poster a link to an
"Original 1942 Casablanca US 1/2 Sheet" for A HUNDRED BUCKS! Hey,
ain't no way if that was REAL, it would be up on eBay 10 MINUTES, let
alone 3 days!
The bottom line is---if you're really serious about collecting
movie posters, you've got to invest some time in LEARNING THE HOBBY.
But I also found out along the way that as soon as you get cocky and
think you KNOW EVERYTHING, the hobby seems to throw you a curve ball
and you get burned. Such is life.
You pick yourself up, brush yourself off...and move on.
But WHEN FEAR TAKES OVER....and all the townspeople run to their
"Fearless Leader" (or Leaders) for safety and assurance that all is
well----I think they're MISSING OUT on finding the hidden gem that's
out there that no one else has found---the DIAMOND IN THE JUNKPILE!
Great movie posters are still out there if you look had enough---if
you really care about the hobby enough to LEARN IT. Sure, it's an
investment of TIME AND ENERGY....but doesn't anything in this Life
that's WORTH ANYTHING take some effort?
Sure, townspeople, you may find SAFETY in you run to your "Fearless
Leader(s)" to SAFELY bid on all of your movie posters----but it's my
belief that in the process you lose the JOY OF THE SEARCH! That's
always been the FUN PART of movie poster collecting for me!
Instead of living in FEAR, make a concerted effort to LEARN THE
HOBBY. That way, you'll eventually be prepared to move out of fear
back to the joy and pleasure and fun that the search can bring!
Sincerely,
Rick Ryan
------------------------------------------------------------------------
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.
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.
