Of course Kirby has a good point here. On the other hand, it seems there is no such thing as a truly rare French poster. Even when it come to the oldest late-19th century posters, there are still at least 3-5 copies known ot exist.
The METROPOLIS billboard that belongs to Berlin's Kunstbibliothek is indeed an 'only known copy' but that's the only one I can think of.
@Todd: I have noticed the Coudon KING KONG poster as well, but for another reason: I actually love it and would love to have one. As a dealer, I can't pay a five-digit amount for a poster that seems be in constant supply.
I'm not a collector anymore, but sometimes I have to buy something just because I love it. Like this one:
https://www.filmposter.net/en/for-a-few-dollars-more-original-release-italian-movie-poster-9673.html
This is not nearly as rare as it used to be, but it's my all-time favorite Eastwood poster. I actually don't care if I will ever sell it or if it will be auctioned off with my estate. And I am keeping an eye on that KING KONG as well. Prices may go up and down, but in the end, great posters will always sell.
@Dale: The fact that the first two copies came from Japan wouldn't bother me. Like everything else, posters travel and sometimes show up in unexpected places.
Helmut
Gesendet: Donnerstag, 17. September 2026 um 18:59
Von: "Todd Feiertag" <[email protected]>
Betreff: Re: [MOPO] [MOPO] Empire Strikes Back unedited version
Oh, yes definitely Kirby!
Very aware of that situation and of course, should have mentioned it!
Thanks!
Todd
From: Kirby McDaniel <[email protected]>
Sent: Thursday, September 17, 2026 12:48 PM
To: Todd Feiertag <[email protected]>
Cc: [email protected] <[email protected]>
Subject: Re: [MOPO] [MOPO] Empire Strikes Back unedited version
Sent: Thursday, September 17, 2026 12:48 PM
To: Todd Feiertag <[email protected]>
Cc: [email protected] <[email protected]>
Subject: Re: [MOPO] [MOPO] Empire Strikes Back unedited version
Todd, et al,
Of course, posters recycle through auctions, and some auction lots will have been auctioned several times, making data on the actual number of existing copies a chore (for somebody, not me). Good point, Todd.
Kirby
On Sep 17, 2026, at 11:36 AM, Todd Feiertag <[email protected]> wrote:Interesting conversation and very good points by Kirby and Helmut.Talk about sitting on a stack of posters... one thing I've noticed and I'm sure others have too, is that over the past 25 or so years, is that almost every poster auction seems to have a copy of the KING KONG French Grande (47" x 63") Roland Coudon style artwork.I don't remember any notation ever stating it's the only one out there or any blurb concerning it's rarity but apparently and good for them, someone must be sitting on a stack of these.A poster I don't particularly care for but that's me.Todd
From: MoPo List <[email protected]> on behalf of Kirby McDaniel <[email protected]>
Sent: Thursday, September 17, 2026 10:34 AM
To: [email protected] <[email protected]>
Subject: Re: [MOPO] [MOPO] Empire Strikes Back unedited versionMopolistas:Always pay attention to Helmut! He makes a good point here.THE OUTLAW: “only KNOWN copy” would have been a better description. Who knows what has survived?THE BRIDE OF FRANKENSTEIN is, in my opinion, regardless of title or fan-base, a vastly better poster than the rejected EMPIRE poster. Same with THE OUTLAW six and THE BIG SLEEP French. To me, that indicates better than anything market price resiliency. Design, design, design.KirbyOn Sep 17, 2026, at 2:38 AM, [email protected] wrote:Kirby,re. ten copies of BRIDE OF FRANKENSTEIN: Unlikely, but not impossible. Movie posters never were 'mass market products', but they WERE printed in immense quantities.You will remember when a six-sheet for THE OUTLAW first showed up at Christie's London maybe 25 years ago.It was advertised as 'the only surviving copy'. When the story developed, it came out that the owners had found a stack of them, and legend had it that grandma had burned the others out of frustration over the dispute. Some time later, another one showed up, and then yet another one, and then I lost track.Same thing would happen with ten copies of BRIDE OF FRANKENSTEIN. Or ten copies of a FRANKENSTEIN six-sheet, should they surface.Actually, this has happened numerous times before: Once upon a time, THE BIG SLEEP French Affiche was ultra-rare. Until a French dealer found a stack of them. Prices started at €25.000, and you could hold your breath and see them go down.Funny thing is: This happened a long time ago, so at this point that poster might once again be worth €25.000.HelmutA question: what would you do if you found 10 BRIDE OF FRANKENSTEIN one-sheets in a drawer somewhere? That’s not probable, in fact highly improbable, but not impossible.K.
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