Perhaps one of the most impressive of all of the great Universal Studios horror posters, a terrifying 1933 one sheet teaser poster for “The Invisible Man,” could sell for as much as $80,000 in Heritage Auctions’ Vintage Posters Auction being held Saturday and Sunday, March 25 and 26, in Dallas, Texas.
“Even the most advanced collectors have never seen this poster in person,” said Grey Smith, director of vintage posters at Heritage Auctions. “(Artist) Karoly Grosz does a hauntingly wonderful job capturing the insanity that slowly takes hold of the film’s mad scientist. In only a few instances did the studio produce a teaser for their horror greats, but when they did they were often outstanding.”
Additional posters from Universal Studios’ greatest monsters include a title lobby card for “The Bride of Frankenstein” (est. $30,000) and a lobby card for the 1935 film “Werewolf of London” (est. $10,000).
A rare Italian four-fogli from the 1953 re-release of “Casablanca” (est. $30,000), considered by many collectors to be one of the most beautiful ever made for the film, depicts an elegant, wind-swept Ingrid Bergman set against the backdrop in French Morocco. Likewise, a poster for Columbia’s 1946 film “Gilda” (est. $20,000) sets heroine Rita Hayworth center stage on this classic film noir Style B one sheet.
Half sheet posters from classic films such as a Style A depicting five major cast members and two important scenes from the 1939 MGM classic “The Wizard of Oz” (est. $30,000) will be on offer, as well as the elusive Style B for “The Maltese Falcon,” which shows a double-fisted, gun-slinging Humphrey Bogart and the sultry Mary Astor (est. $8,000).
Large-size international paper for “La Dolce Vita” (est. $18,000); Warner Brothers’ 1935 poster for “Bordertown” ($12,000) with art by Luigi Martinati; and the 1928 film “The Passion of Joan of Arc” (est. $12,000) would be at home in the most advanced collections.
Posters from silent films will include rarities from 1926’s “The Black Pirate,” starring Douglas Fairbanks (est. $10,000), and the never before seen large-format poster from “The Perils of Pauline” from 1914 (est. $10,000).
For more information, visit www.HA.com.