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

[Antoine1973]

A few weeks ago, this Japanese B0 for Coppola's Dracula film sold for ¥564,000 (~$3800). Eiko Ishioka won the Oscar for her costume designs for the film and she is credited along with Haruo Takino for the design of the poster.



It's a pretty scarce poster, it's quite hard to find a decent image of it on the internet (the commonly found image on the web seems to be a composite with a wonky join). You can see it displayed at this Eiko Ishioka exhibition from a couple of years ago, along with another Dracula B0 poster and the famous 2 x Apocalypse Now B0 posters by Ishioka and Takino (I found that photo from this site's review of the exhibition - https://www.cinepre.biz/archives/28130)

I had never seen this poster before (which isn't that surprising since I don't collect Japanese paper), but it's really quite striking.  I love it.   

[Mardukas]

The 'too gory for the silver screen' logo on the Mutant Hunt is something I hadn't noticed before, was it commonly used on video posters from this era?

I think that logo was a marketing gimmick used by Wizard Video/Lightning Video, the companies behind Mutant Hunt. I have seen it on the same distributors’ video release posters for Dreamaniac and Psychos In Love, for example. I presume this was a neat way to reduce any perceived stigma around being straight to video movies!

[Neo]

A few weeks ago, this Japanese B0 for Coppola's Dracula film sold for ¥564,000 (~$3800).

Wow impressive piece and price.  Stunning exhibit of Mr. Ishioka's works.

 

Kinda surprising to see another of the not often seen Mr. Brando style of the Apocalypse Now B0 sold a few days ago for about $1,100.  It has some condition issues, but it seems like most of them do. 



Even more surprising is another copy is currently for sale, and appears to have some relatively minor condition issues - foxing, wrinkles, etc. - currently at about $33 starting bid: https://page.auctions.yahoo.co.jp/jp/auction/d1112195042

[eatbrie]

I just checked HA's results from last night and saw this head-scratching result.  Head-scratching because of the price realized () but mostly the fact that this poster is visibly undersized for the London tube and that HA did not mention it.  How could they miss that?  I mean, it's like inches at the top and at least an inch at left and right.  Oh, and I cannot see the printer's info at the bottom.

I put a picture of my copy for reference.





T

[BwanaDik]

Crazy!!

[Tob]

Yeah, that's not good! Surely at least put the correct dimensions of the poster?

[Antoine1973]

I just checked HA's results from last night and saw this head-scratching result.  Head-scratching because of the price realized () but mostly the fact that this poster is visibly undersized for the London tube and that HA did not mention it.  How could they miss that?  I mean, it's like inches at the top and at least an inch at left and right.  Oh, and I cannot see the printer's info at the bottom.

I put a picture of my copy for reference.





HA has been dropping the ball a lot lately when it comes to their movie poster division.  Not sure what happened but their descriptions are off the chart riddled with mistakes.  I really make sure to do my due diligence when buying from them now.
T

[Antoine1973]

I just checked HA's results from last night and saw this head-scratching result.  Head-scratching because of the price realized () but mostly the fact that this poster is visibly undersized for the London tube and that HA did not mention it.  How could they miss that?  I mean, it's like inches at the top and at least an inch at left and right.  Oh, and I cannot see the printer's info at the bottom.

I put a picture of my copy for reference.





T

HA has been dropping the ball a lot lately when it comes to their movie poster division.  Not sure what happened but their descriptions are off the chart riddled with mistakes.  I really make sure to do my due diligence when buying from them now.

(The format in my previous post was all wrong, so I posted it again for clarity)

[eatbrie]

Yeah, but someone spent $7.2k on a poster that is really worth nothing.  That’s a big “dropping the ball” imo.

T

[Neo]

You'd think they'd notice how cropped it is.  I don't mean the artwork being cropped, but the physical size.  Everyone makes mistakes.  That's a big mistake though, and who knows if they will contact the customer and offer to resolve it; all they ever post here is advertising, and it seems like they're difficult to contact.

[eatbrie]

To be fair, though, when you buy something $7k, you should do a little bit of research and compare.  It is obvious that the poster is not 30x40in.  So HA really screwed up, but so did the buyer.

T

[redman]

To be fair, though, when you buy something $7k, you should do a little bit of research and compare.  It is obvious that the poster is not 30x40in.  So HA really screwed up, but so did the buyer.

T

nah, could be somebody buying a present. this is all on HA
said it was From the Estate of Russell Clarke Urich III
would like to know which dealer ripped him off

[Neo]

To be fair, though, when you buy something $7k, you should do a little bit of research and compare.  It is obvious that the poster is not 30x40in.  So HA really screwed up, but so did the buyer.

T

The seller has to take full responsibility.  Some legit posters are not the exact measurements that is standard for that particular format. 

If a buyer wants to purchase an expensive diamond and goes to a well established place such as Tiffany's, the buyer shouldn't be responsible, or even feel the need, to validate what Tiffany's is saying the diamond is.  If a buyer wants to double check something is what a huge company like this claims it is, that's the buyer going above and beyond, and really should not be expected IMO.

[Tob]

This Robert McGinnis original art, which was used in a few posters for Thunderball, went for £275k (including BP) at Propstore

https://propstoreauction.com/lot-details/index/catalog/359/lot/118845

[Neo]

Wow.  It's a classic image and original artwork is cool and all but that has to be one of the most expensive original art for movie posters ever sold.  Maybe some hardcore Bond folks had a bidding war.  It would be understandable, since it's from the first Bond movie, and I wonder what other factors combined for such a sale price.

[crowzilla]

Wow.  It's a classic image and original artwork is cool and all but that has to be one of the most expensive original art for movie posters ever sold.  Maybe some hardcore Bond folks had a bidding war.  It would be understandable, since it's from the first Bond movie, and I wonder what other factors combined for such a sale price.

It is up there, it might make the top ten, but most likely is just outside it (it's for the fourth Bond film, and tough to say if Michael Hook's original would for Dr No wold surpass this price as McGinnis is a much more collected and desirable artist).

The poster art market has exploded similar to the comic art and art market in general the past few years.
For example, Heritage sold the Berkey painting for the Towering Inferno earlier this year for $350,000 (https://entertainment.ha.com/itm/movie-tv-memorabilia/original-art/original-john-berkey-final-poster-artwork-for-the-towering-inferno-tcf-1974-/a/7351-89737.s?), last month the concept art for 2001 by McCall sold for $106K - the finished painting would sell for at least triple that amount (https://entertainment.ha.com/itm/movie-tv-memorabilia/original-art/robert-mccall-signature-final-concept-artwork-for-2001-a-space-odyssey-mgm-1968-/a/7278-89402.s?), and last spring the Corben original for Heavy Metal sold for $288,000 (https://comics.ha.com/itm/original-comic-art/paintings/richard-corben-heavy-metal-den-movie-poster-painting-original-art-columbia-1981-/a/7270-91014.s?).
The Alvin ET painting was one of the first to bring headlines when it sold six years ago for $394K (https://fineart.ha.com/itm/paintings/john-alvin-american-1948-2008-et-the-extra-terrestrial-original-promotional-movie-illustration-/a/5269-71001.s?) and a decade ago the original for Song of Bernadette sold for $605K - but it is a Rockwell, so that might have been low even for the time (https://fineart.ha.com/itm/paintings/norman-rockwell-american-1894-1978-the-song-of-bernadette-1944-oil-on-canvas-53-x-28-in-s/a/5145-78138.s?).

Many of the likely suspects that would top those are already held by Lucas or Spielberg (Struzan, and Amsel abound on those lists though the Kastel original for Jaws has been missing for decades). For foreign art, Miyazaki and Hergé top any list you could put together.
I've heard of some private sales for astonishing numbers, but when it's private who knows for sure so the HA references above are good markers.

[BwanaDik]

It is up there, it might make the top ten, but most likely is just outside it (it's for the fourth Bond film, and tough to say if Michael Hook's original would for Dr No wold surpass this price as McGinnis is a much more collected and desirable artist).

The poster art market has exploded similar to the comic art and art market in general the past few years.
For example, Heritage sold the Berkey painting for the Towering Inferno earlier this year for $350,000 (https://entertainment.ha.com/itm/movie-tv-memorabilia/original-art/original-john-berkey-final-poster-artwork-for-the-towering-inferno-tcf-1974-/a/7351-89737.s?), last month the concept art for 2001 by McCall sold for $106K - the finished painting would sell for at least triple that amount (https://entertainment.ha.com/itm/movie-tv-memorabilia/original-art/robert-mccall-signature-final-concept-artwork-for-2001-a-space-odyssey-mgm-1968-/a/7278-89402.s?), and last spring the Corben original for Heavy Metal sold for $288,000 (https://comics.ha.com/itm/original-comic-art/paintings/richard-corben-heavy-metal-den-movie-poster-painting-original-art-columbia-1981-/a/7270-91014.s?).
The Alvin ET painting was one of the first to bring headlines when it sold six years ago for $394K (https://fineart.ha.com/itm/paintings/john-alvin-american-1948-2008-et-the-extra-terrestrial-original-promotional-movie-illustration-/a/5269-71001.s?) and a decade ago the original for Song of Bernadette sold for $605K - but it is a Rockwell, so that might have been low even for the time (https://fineart.ha.com/itm/paintings/norman-rockwell-american-1894-1978-the-song-of-bernadette-1944-oil-on-canvas-53-x-28-in-s/a/5145-78138.s?).

Many of the likely suspects that would top those are already held by Lucas or Spielberg (Struzan, and Amsel abound on those lists though the Kastel original for Jaws has been missing for decades). For foreign art, Miyazaki and Hergé top any list you could put together.
I've heard of some private sales for astonishing numbers, but when it's private who knows for sure so the HA references above are good markers.

Yeah, remember Lucas wanted to open a museum dedicated to American "comic" art.... not sure if the museum is opened.... but he is the one who also bought the Crumb "Genesis"... and don't forget that the original "Fritz" also hit a record.   So I would add Crumb to the list for sure.

As for HA, I am not sure he can be used to assess marketprice... I heard/read so many things about HA that I think their auctions are biased (overwriters, candle bidding, self-bidding, etc.); they have cousin companies doing grading, so I am pretty sure they must have also insurance and overwriting companies to ensure that lot are sold and above estimation.    Last, I think that some crypto/reddit guys are also tempering the market, some crypto "fan" groups are dedicated solely to this (we saw for "Dune").

[crowzilla]

Yeah, remember Lucas wanted to open a museum dedicated to American "comic" art.... not sure if the museum is opened.... but he is the one who also bought the Crumb "Genesis"... and don't forget that the original "Fritz" also hit a record.   So I would add Crumb to the list for sure.

The museum is currently under construction (with an eye on opening in 2025), and has been very active in acquiring pieces for its collection. (For posters collectors, one of the prominent purchases was the complete "Separate Cinema" archives of John Kisch https://news.artnet.com/art-world/lucas-museum-acquires-separate-cinema-archive-1753629.)
Robert Crumb's Fritz the Cat original that sold for $700K, was the cover of the comic book. Although the poster image is an excellent copy, it isn't by Crumb (most likely Bakshi).

As for HA, I am not sure he can be used to assess marketprice... I heard/read so many things about HA that I think their auctions are biased (overwriters, candle bidding, self-bidding, etc.); they have cousin companies doing grading, so I am pretty sure they must have also insurance and overwriting companies to ensure that lot are sold and above estimation.    Last, I think that some crypto/reddit guys are also tempering the market, some crypto "fan" groups are dedicated solely to this (we saw for "Dune").

Sales are sales - whether to Lucas, or crypto fan groups, and are documented. The fact that current management seems to shoddily neglect the poster division and can't be bothered to correct many obvious listing mistakes doesn't change their results, which are in line with other auction houses and private sales.

[Neo]

It is up there, it might make the top ten, but most likely is just outside it (it's for the fourth Bond film, and tough to say if Michael Hook's original would for Dr No wold surpass this price as McGinnis is a much more collected and desirable artist).

The poster art market has exploded similar to the comic art and art market in general the past few years.

Correct - fourth Bond film.    That is a good summary of some of the top sales results.  The original art world seems to be another entity in HA as you mentioned, and arguably the poster world altogether. 

As for HA, I am not sure he can be used to assess marketprice...

Some interesting points, and although the extreme high-end auction/sales are "documented" as mentioned above, all the specifics are not available to the public.  There is a lot of speculation and there are valid claims out there about this stuff, though, which of course is another topic.

[Tob]

It is up there, it might make the top ten, but most likely is just outside it (it's for the fourth Bond film, and tough to say if Michael Hook's original would for Dr No wold surpass this price as McGinnis is a much more collected and desirable artist).

The poster art market has exploded similar to the comic art and art market in general the past few years.
For example, Heritage sold the Berkey painting for the Towering Inferno earlier this year for $350,000 (https://entertainment.ha.com/itm/movie-tv-memorabilia/original-art/original-john-berkey-final-poster-artwork-for-the-towering-inferno-tcf-1974-/a/7351-89737.s?), last month the concept art for 2001 by McCall sold for $106K - the finished painting would sell for at least triple that amount (https://entertainment.ha.com/itm/movie-tv-memorabilia/original-art/robert-mccall-signature-final-concept-artwork-for-2001-a-space-odyssey-mgm-1968-/a/7278-89402.s?), and last spring the Corben original for Heavy Metal sold for $288,000 (https://comics.ha.com/itm/original-comic-art/paintings/richard-corben-heavy-metal-den-movie-poster-painting-original-art-columbia-1981-/a/7270-91014.s?).
The Alvin ET painting was one of the first to bring headlines when it sold six years ago for $394K (https://fineart.ha.com/itm/paintings/john-alvin-american-1948-2008-et-the-extra-terrestrial-original-promotional-movie-illustration-/a/5269-71001.s?) and a decade ago the original for Song of Bernadette sold for $605K - but it is a Rockwell, so that might have been low even for the time (https://fineart.ha.com/itm/paintings/norman-rockwell-american-1894-1978-the-song-of-bernadette-1944-oil-on-canvas-53-x-28-in-s/a/5145-78138.s?).

Many of the likely suspects that would top those are already held by Lucas or Spielberg (Struzan, and Amsel abound on those lists though the Kastel original for Jaws has been missing for decades). For foreign art, Miyazaki and Hergé top any list you could put together.
I've heard of some private sales for astonishing numbers, but when it's private who knows for sure so the HA references above are good markers.

Interesting post, thanks Crowzilla. That concept art for 2001 by Bob McCall is amazing.

[redman]

I just checked HA's results from last night and saw this head-scratching result.  Head-scratching because of the price realized () but mostly the fact that this poster is visibly undersized for the London tube and that HA did not mention it.  How could they miss that?  I mean, it's like inches at the top and at least an inch at left and right.  Oh, and I cannot see the printer's info at the bottom.

I put a picture of my copy for reference.






T

@Bruce_Carteron

I want an explanation please

[Neo]

@Bruce_Carteron

I want an explanation please

They're probably only gonna post advertising. 

[Neo]

Not OMG... imo...but pretty good result for this one.  Rad artwork. 

I liked this movie when I was a kid, and thought it's pretty spooky.  Maybe I'll try watching it again sometime to see how it is nowadays.

[Mardukas]

Not OMG... imo...but pretty good result for this one.  Rad artwork. 

I liked this movie when I was a kid, and thought it's pretty spooky.  Maybe I'll try watching it again sometime to see how it is nowadays.

Best paper around on this movie I think. Another video poster to add to the want list!

[Neo]

Best paper around on this movie I think. Another video poster to add to the want list!

Yeah it's great artwork and a classic 80s style.

There were a couple posters for Pumpkinhead 2 (1994) that sold recently - one from USA and one from UK - that really show in comparison how great the artwork for part 1 is.  I was going to post them in the thread "best artwork by country" or something like that but I couldn't find it.  Anyway, here are these 2, the first from USA and second from UK: