DALLAS, TX.- Measuring a massive 54" by 77", an Italian poster for Federico Fellini's classic La Dolce Vita realized $41,825 to lead
Heritage Auctions' $1.8+ million Movie Poster Signature Auction Nov. 16-17 in Dallas. House records were set across numerous genres as several fresh-to-market posters, inserts and lobby cards marked their first appearance at Heritage.
The poster for La Dolce Vita set a house record as the most valuable Italian poster we've ever sold," said Grey Smith, Director of Movie Posters at Heritage Auctions. "This auction was filled with unique and scarce items we're happy they appealed to both new and experienced clients."
A scarce one sheet for 1923 silent film Three Ages, considered Buster Keaton's tour de force, ended at $38,837 following interest from eight bidders. A seductive Italian 2 foglio for Columbia's 1948 release The Lady from Shanghai sold for $26,680, and a poster produced for the first post-war release of The Maltese Falcon, a French Grande measuring 45" by 61", brought five times its estimate to claim $26,290. Another poster that handily surpassed its pre-auction estimate is a one sheet for Universal's monster movie classic Dracula. The rare and exquisite poster from the 1947 reissue marked its auction debut at Heritage at $25,095.
Paper from early silent films is rare and the rare title lobby card for the 1920 Paramount silent film The Golem, considered a landmark example of early German Expressionism, sold for $16,730. Another rare find, an original 1939 French Grande for Son of Frankenstein, measuring 47" by 63", brought three times its estimate to realize $15,535 while a jarring World War I propaganda recruitment poster depicting a German soldier as a mad ape sold for $11,352.
Additional highlights include, but are not limited by:
• An early half sheet for Scarface realized $19,120.
• A 13-1/2" by 22" window card for Charlie Chaplin's The Gold Rush sold for $11,651.
• A romantic French Grande for La Belle et la Bete (Beauty and the Beast) from 1946 took $14,340.
• A sultry Style B one sheet for Sullivan's Travels, emblazoned with the tagline "Veronica Lake's on the take" brought $10,755.
