"The Merchant of Venice" Ralph Steadman Royal Shakespeare Co - looking for info

[bodhi_tree777]

Hello, new to the forum and I'm looking for some information on a piece I found recently.

It's a 1993 Royal Shakespeare Company "Merchant of Venice" poster/advertisement with artwork by Ralph Steadman.

Not a typical, flimsy poster - instead it's thick cardstock, screwed into what may be the original frame. No glass. My guess is a lobby poster or subway/bus station advertisement?

Measures roughly 30"x20"

At the very bottom it reads "Screenprinted by G & B Arts plc. RSC 1993"



The only thing like it I've found was on Ebay, and that was a rolled poster. Any thoughts on history & value would be much appreciated, thanks!

[erik1925]

Is this a poster for a live performance (theatrical)?

[bodhi_tree777]

Yes, I believe so.

[CSM]

All I could find was the same current eBay auction (which provides very little info)

[erik1925]

Looking on the RSC site, they have other posters from earlier productions available. Here is one from their 1991 production of "Julius Caesar." The 20 x 30 image size print sells for £50

http://www.rsc.org.uk/

[bodhi_tree777]

I'd found that site previously, but this design isn't on there (nor any of the Steadman RSC pieces, he's done a couple).

I can't tell if that price is for a rolled poster or the heavier stock like the one I've got. I wonder if there's a way to tell the difference between an original and one of their reprints?

Thanks for the replies so far!

[Tob]

I wonder if it could be something that wasn't in the online store, but that they sold in the physical shop in Stratford?

The ones on the website seem to just be posters where you select the image and they print it off in the size you desire, where as it looks like yours is a screenprint on thicker stock and hence probably a one off run?

Another option is you drop Ralph an email to see if he can shed some light on it?
http://www.ralphsteadman.com/

[bodhi_tree777]

I sent an e-mail off to whoever runs Ralph Steadman's site, hopefully I'll get a response.

I'm fairly unfamiliar with poster/advertising terminology. Is there a correct way to refer to something like this, screenprinted on thick cardstock, to differentiate it from a rolled poster?

[erik1925]

You have a rolled theatrical poster, printed on heavier paper stock.

It's all good. 

[paul waines]

Just tell them it's a Double crown on heavy stock...

[paul waines]

Oh, and Welcome to the forum. Hope you can stick around...