Mid-auction analysis - OMGs!, LOLs!, WTFs!, whatev....

[Harry Caul]

Over 25 years of going to Japan and meeting collectors for me now, and I've never seen or heard of another copy - and I know where four copies of the tatekan for Godzilla are off the top of my head for comparison.
(but I'm also an American, so my opinion isn't worth much.)

Thanks, quite helpful.  I still haven't seen a Godzilla STB turn up publicly

[ddilts399]

I'm ready for 70mmWIDESCREEN to retire or find a new hobby 

[Simes]

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Original-james-bond-quad-poster/173131486517?hash=item284f70d535:g:cMYAAOSwFnxaXM-L

Am sure this one will be snapped up, quicksnap.

Lovely job all round.

[skyjackers]

I wonder what you think of this very rare Bond poster Simes? Worth the money?

https://www.ebay.com/itm/JAMES-BOND-RAREST-MOVIE-POSTER-IN-EXISTENCE-AUTHENTIC-1973-NSS-WARHOL-STYLE/391967382368?_trkparms=aid%3D777003%26algo%3DDISCL.MBE%26ao%3D1%26asc%3D49893%26meid%3D8bb644918e4a47c887199ea2ddde182b%26pid%3D100013%26rk%3D5%26rkt%3D12%26sd%3D162830088041%26itm%3D391967382368&_trksid=p2047675.c100013.m1986

[Simes]

Yeah, I did note that auction.

While the Mrs Minneva (who is a He, I now understand) is a force to be reckoned with in the poster universe, at least from the prices s/he charges, I am not sure what Warhol had to do with either the poster design, or the sepia / oranged thing you see before you? 

Has any of the artwork changed?  Nope.  Just a colour graded example of what was the finalized design.

For my personal interest and knowledge (or lack thereof), no interest at all.

[jayn_j]

Call this "Why I decided to pass on this swing time lobby"

https://www.ebay.com/itm/SWING-TIME-Original-Lobby-Card-10-25-x13-25-C8-5-Very-Fine-Near-Mint-Restored/282830480280?hash=item41da02a398:g:4BAAAOSwqu9U3p5g


The seller has been listing this for some time.  Recently he has it for $699.  Says the card has been trimmed to 10.25" x 13.25". Then he says card is condition 8.5!  He says the pictures show it against a board, but not mounted, but it sure looks mounted to me.  Finally he says minor restoration was done and the card was a condition 5-5.5 before restoration.

While doing my homework, I find that this poster was sold by heritage in 2014 for $191.
https://movieposters.ha.com/itm/musical/swing-time-rko-1936-trimmed-lobby-card-1025-x-1325-musical/a/161442-53477.s?ic4=GalleryView-Thumbnail-071515

Does this look C-5 to you?


Moral.  If you are buying on eBay, be damned sure to do your homework.

[erik1925]

Seems that ebay seller doesnt know the difference between when something that has been trimmed down or not (restoration aside).

[jayn_j]

If you think this isn't important because you don't collect musicals, you might want to check out the seller's other auctions.  Lots of monster/horror, including one unicorn.  But remember this post before bidding.

[jayn_j]

Seems that ebay seller doesnt know the difference between when something that has been trimmed down or not (restoration aside).

I am just amazed that he didn't have the borders restored, given the amount of work that was done.  The work also appears to be sloppy.  The title looks dipped in paint.  The censor mark was airbrushed out, leaving faint traces, but removing any texture detail of the dance floor.

[erik1925]

Jay, my thought was, too, that according to the description from HA on the same card they auctioned, the size of that card seems correct at 10.25 x 13.25 inches, and it was never trimmed.

The way the ebay auction reads, the seller states that it was originally 14 x 11 inches, and even restored, was done so, but left smaller.

Like the homework you did, Jay, had that seller bothered to look on the HA auction history, he would have seen that this card was never the larger 14 x 11 to begin with.

So as you said, homework is key, when buying from the ebay folk.

And I will look to see what other stuff he's offering, too. 

[jayn_j]

No, the card was definitely trimmed before the HA sale.  Look at the few cards sold by HA and emovieposter archives.  They are all 11x14 except this one.  Even the HA listing says

An unrestored trimmed lobby card

[erik1925]

Thanks. 

I guess the java hadnt kicked in yet, as I looked right past the descrip. in the HA title, too.

[crowzilla]

Jay, my thought was, too, that according to the description from HA on the same card they auctioned, the size of that card seems correct at 10.25 x 13.25 inches, and it was never trimmed.

Huh? Are you suggesting that the card was printed that size?
Seems fairly obvious it is trimmed to me

[erik1925]

See my very last comment. I realized my oversight.

[erik1925]

No, the card was definitely trimmed before the HA sale.  Look at the few cards sold by HA and emovieposter archives.  They are all 11x14 except this one.  Even the HA listing says

Interesting (merely from an observational POV) how both the ebay and HA cards were trimmed to the very same dimensions, too.

[jayn_j]

Interesting (merely from an observational POV) how both the ebay and HA cards were trimmed to the very same dimensions, too.

It is clearly the same card.  You can see the ghost of the censor stamp in his image and also the way the title is dipped in paint to cover that mess.  The restorer had to replace 2 corners and fix a bunch of edge tears, so I am puzzled why he didn't just replace the trimmed borders as well.  It was the condition 8.5/trimmed description that initially led me to do the search.  I may very well have pulled the trigger if it had been full size.

[JCM]

I'm ready for 70mmWIDESCREEN to retire or find a new hobby 

Glad I'm not the only one, haha!

[jayn_j]

I'm ready for 70mmWIDESCREEN to retire or find a new hobby 

For my last few lobby card auctions it is NOAH27.  He doesn't seem to have a limit and is bidding high on everything in sight.  Probably high bid on 2/3 of the highest priced lots for tonight.

[erik1925]

It is clearly the same card.  You can see the ghost of the censor stamp in his image and also the way the title is dipped in paint to cover that mess.  The restorer had to replace 2 corners and fix a bunch of edge tears, so I am puzzled why he didn't just replace the trimmed borders as well.  It was the condition 8.5/trimmed description that initially led me to do the search.  I may very well have pulled the trigger if it had been full size.

If nothing else, the title font looks 1000% better than the card did, when HA offered it with all that pen mess that was added at some point in time. (And whoever the restorer was, he/she did a nice job, considering the previous, rather "abused" condition). 

[jayn_j]

If nothing else, the title font looks 1000% better than the card did, when HA offered it with all that pen mess that was added at some point in time. (And whoever the restorer was, he/she did a nice job, considering the previous, rather "abused" condition). 

I don't disagree, but if you do the homework, an condition 8 card of this title goes for around $700.  This one might go somewhat higher in that condition since it has Fred and Ginger dancing.  But since the borders weren't restored, and the signs of the restoration are visible, I really can't rate it much higher than condition 6

[erik1925]

Homework is everything... on this or any potential buy. Otherwise, one could get burned or ripped off.

But I was picking out one aspect of the card.. the title font. The 'before and after' is like night and day.

And grading is always so subjective. One person's grade of 5 can be another's 8 (or vise versa). So one needs to judge and grade, using one's own eyes (along with the images provided). 

[erik1925]

It is clearly the same card.  You can see the ghost of the censor stamp in his image and also the way the title is dipped in paint to cover that mess.  The restorer had to replace 2 corners and fix a bunch of edge tears, so I am puzzled why he didn't just replace the trimmed borders as well.  It was the condition 8.5/trimmed description that initially led me to do the search.  I may very well have pulled the trigger if it had been full size.

I wrote to the seller asking if it was the same card. Here is his longer and detailed reply:

"You are correct. As you know, that Lobby card was in pretty tough condition at C5. It was one of the first ones I listed back in 2015 and I had just started to sell. Now, I describe be the previous condition, if restored, of all my more recent listings. This is a little different than some of the bigger dealers, like HA and Cinemasterpieces (whom I have also worked with), who list the restored item at the un-restored grade. But like I said, in my more recent listings, as I learn, I do state the unrestored grade and what was restored and I do abide by the tradition that any restored item cannot be graded higher tan C8.5.

I had the Lobby Card restored which was relatively expensive, and more expensive than the Card itself. Like you, I noticed the remnants of that censorship stamp. I talked to the restoration company that I use and they said it might be more noticeable f I were to have that section more "restored". Maybe not. But I was certain that it would mean more money. And since the One Sheet - Style A- is valued at the top at $12,500 (IGUIDE), I think that any serious collector interested in this time period or movie would value having this Lobby card, and upon purchase could consider further restoration.

I hope this helps. Thanks for your interest. Bruce"

[erik1925]

Currently listed on yahoo auctions Japan, this B2 size poster for Snow White & the Seven Dwarfs. I was using google translate to see if the seller mentions what year it's from (i didn't come across that info), but from its general appearance and age, it certainly maybe could be a first release poster.

I think it's one beautiful poster.

Current price is 200,000 yen ($1836.00 USD)

https://page.auctions.yahoo.co.jp/jp/auction/b295148184

[crowzilla]

Currently listed on yahoo auctions Japan, this B2 size poster for Snow White & the Seven Dwarfs. I was using google translate to see if the seller mentions what year it's from (i didn't come across that info), but from its general appearance and age, it certainly maybe could be a first release poster.

Yes, one of two different styles from the first release in 1950.
(I mean, if you want to take my word for it, I'm not Japanese after all.)

[erik1925]

Yes, one of two different styles from the first release in 1950.
(I mean, if you want to take my word for it, I'm not Japanese after all.)

ありがとう、ショーン