E.T. Moon/Bike poster: Caveat emptor, authentication tests

[Dread_Pirate_Mel]

on fleaBay
http://cgi.ebay.com/ET-The-Extra-Terrestrial-Rare-Movie-Original-Poster_W0QQitemZ200423246612QQcmdZViewItemQQptZLH_DefaultDomain_0?hash=item2eaa280b14

the seller says the poster is a full 27x41 which makes it the rare, smaller printing.
However, it clearly has the PG ratings box.. isn't the rarer printing of this poster without the ratings box???

Wow - that auction seems like the real deal and marklawd is on the case!

Of course Rich you'll have to face the guillotine for mentioning a pending auction

[MoviePosterBid.com]

how can you tell Mark is on it??

I dont see any usernames in questions..

but what about what I said on the PG box

[Dread_Pirate_Mel]

how can you tell Mark is on it??

I dont see any usernames in questions..

but what about what I said on the PG box

"Mark" is on the name on one of the questions and I'm assuming it's marklawd - we'll see.  In any event marklawd is the expert on the 41" poster - he has one.  I know Heritage has sold several 41" posters (at least they said it was 41" - might want to check those auctions as well.) 

[ddilts399]

Looks like an offline offer might have ended that one already.

[Dread_Pirate_Mel]

but what about what I said on the PG box

Yep, it ended a few minutes ago.  Hmmm....

Anyway, I checked the Heritage auctions - they've sold four 41" posters and they all had the PG box.  Of course it is VERY possible Heritage did not measure them properly and used a template....

[MoviePosterBid.com]

Anyway, I checked the Heritage auctions - they've sold four 41" posters and they all had the PG box.  Of course it is VERY possible Heritage did not measure them properly and used a template....

that's what I think they did..

I'm pretty sure there isn't supposed to be the box.. Mark.. where are you?

[marklawd]

The PG is on the 27 x 41 as well.

That wasn't me asking a question by the way - I'd rather take a chance and keep an auction description vague than risk alerting other prospective bidders to additional clarified information.

It is odd that the seller would withdraw the poster because it was the size he said it was. I don't doubt who the consignor is or that the poster was given as a gift by Spielberg or his office but it looks too bright to be the 27 x 41 - the poster isn't hi-res enough to reveal the absence of a slight printing defect that also distinguishes the first edition. Maybe the seller re-measured it after he answered the questions and realised it wasn't full size after all.

You should never rely on dimensions given by Heritage for a poster like this - I'm pretty sure they have not sold a genuine 27 x 41 from looking at the images on their results archive. 

Mark 

[MoviePosterBid.com]

Mark

I have a few of these I got from the Profiles sale of Collectors. because I believed the PG was not on the rare one, I never measured any of them for specifics to see if any were different. I guess I'll have to now, but I'll bet that mine all measure the same.

[Dread_Pirate_Mel]

"a slight printing defect that also distinguishes the first edition...."

Can you say what the printing defect is or do you want to keep that non-public to prevent future bootlegs?

[marklawd]

On the right hand edge of the artwork - just below the uppermost part of the tree - there is a 3/4" section where the edge is not sharp - this is present on the second printing and reprints - the edge is sharp on the 27 x 41.

Mark

[Dread_Pirate_Mel]

On the right hand edge of the artwork - just below the uppermost part of the tree - there is a 3/4" section where the edge is not sharp - this is present on the second printing and reprints - the edge is sharp on the 27 x 41.

Mark

Yes - both my reprint and original have that defect, although you can see red running along the defect on the reprint (in fact the red line runs up the entire right side of the art). See attached pic.

So here's the story from the seller - I asked him why he ended it early:

"Many thanks for your note. I ended the auction early because I was getting down to the wire and no
one had bid on the poster. I then discovered why. It was brought to my attention that this is an exceedingly rare poster and I think people thought it was a reprint. I haven't decided what to do with it yet. I may relist it with a substantially higher minimum bid or put it up at a proper auction where it can be authenticated. I do
appreciate your thoughts. All the Best and sorry for any inconvevnience. AE"

[MoviePosterBid.com]

you should send the guy a link to my copy being sold with a 99 cent no reserve auction

at the very least, he's an example of people who can't live with their decisions

[Dread_Pirate_Mel]

you should send the guy a link to my copy being sold with a 99 cent no reserve auction

at the very least, he's an example of people who can't live with their decisions

I've been monitoring these ET sales on Ebay and they invariably double or triple in price to the $600+ range in the last 5 seconds when snipers swoop in.  Nerve-racking for sellers, I'm sure.   And that 41" is worth way more than $600.

BTW I just spotted an ET video poster with the same image:

[kovacs01]

Yeah, he would have done fine with the auction.  But not knowing what he had and not being familiar with what commonly happens in auctions like that, he got cold feet.  Understandable, I guess, though I cant understand not doing the research before you set a min price of $350 on a poster.

[Dread_Pirate_Mel]

Yeah, he would have done fine with the auction.  But not knowing what he had and not being familiar with what commonly happens in auctions like that, he got cold feet.  Understandable, I guess, though I cant understand not doing the research before you set a min price of $350 on a poster.

Gotta disagree. He didn't realize he had a 41" - probably fewer than 100 of these and almost never for sale.  He said:"It was brought to my attention that this is an exceedingly rare poster."

That is worth more than $350 - he should never have taken a chance at that price.

Classic Ebay "buying opportunity" - the seller doesn't know what s/he is selling.

[kovacs01]

Well, from what you said, several people had asked him questions about the auction.........at least I assume that is how he caught the clue.  This also probably means that several people were watching the auction and knew what he did not.  I still think he would have done fine.

[Dread_Pirate_Mel]

Well, from what you said, several people had asked him questions about the auction.........at least I assume that is how he caught the clue.  This also probably means that several people were watching the auction and knew what he did not.  I still think he would have done fine.

True, but he could have:

- specifically stated that fewer than 100 exist and it is NOT a typical ET sale
- auctioned it on a dedicated poster auction site, where more insiders would have spotted it
- promoted it on the movie poster forum boards
- offered it for a higher price or best offer on eBay and see what he caught
- auctioned it as a "featured" item on Ebay so more buyers would have spotted it

I just nabbed an ET for $375 - way below market - so you can't count on the last minute snipers to boost the price to what you want.

[kovacs01]

nope, you cant ever know what will happen on ebay.  but that is the nature of any auction.  however in this case, if there was enough interest that roused his suspicion enough to pull the auction, i think he would have been on.

[Dread_Pirate_Mel]

I noticed another 27x41 E.T. poster has popped up for sale on Ebay.  Who knows how long it has been there?  It passes the "light through the tree" test but it is badly crinkled in the lower right:

[Dread_Pirate_Mel]

Yes indeed, the legendary 41" ET bike/moon poster does exist.  Mark Lawd was kind enough to allow me to see and take pictures of his copy, signed by Steven Spielberg (not to George Lucas, another George):

[Dread_Pirate_Mel]

Ed pulled this picture from www.thisisnotporn.net and it pretty much conclusively proves that Spielberg personally signed and distributed the 41" version of the ET moon/bike posters:

[CineMasterpieces]

that is the advance, not the moon/bike.

[Dan]

Awesome picture....just awesome...

I am also a proud owner of a (41)

those puppies are hard to get....

[Der Januskopf]

Ed pulled this picture from www.thisisnotporn.net and it pretty much conclusively proves that Spielberg personally signed and distributed the 41" version of the ET moon/bike posters:

Howso?

That is a small pile of advances lying on the table. 

[Ari]

its what he is saying on the phone, talking about the bike posters, silly.