Jay, maybe your taste is too good! You obviously like interesting items, and don't want the items that sell low (and clearly there is nothing wrong with that, but it makes it harder to get good buys).
There
WERE 45
LINENBACKED posters that went for $35 or less, and most or all of those were well under the cost of the linen (see the bottom 80 here:
http://www.emovieposter.com/agallery/sort/3/16.html).
Plus, of course linenbacked items tend to go for more, both because of the added cost, and because people obviously mostly back high quality items.
And it IS true that this auction attracted a LOT of excellent consignments (better than usual) and rather than that being a reflection of the economy picking up, it could also be a reflection of the economy hurting those exact consignors to where they need to raise some cash.
Please wait until the other three parts are over before you declare us to be a "no bargain zone"!
Bruce