Newly formed Opportunities 2 Auction House, based in Macon, Ga., will introduce itself to the collecting community with an online auction of original, unrestored vintage movie posters on Saturday, April 15, starting at 10 a.m. Over 140 lots will come up for bid from a single consignor. The catalog is live now and open for bidding on LiveAuctioneers.com.
“These posters were purchased in the ’90s from the estate of a theater proprietor,” said Karen Braswell, the owner of Opportunities 2 Auction House. “They’ve been stored ever since and have never been traded or sold. It’s like opening a time capsule. Many were never used for display and were still in the envelope, as originally shipped to the theater.”
The posters span four decades, from the 1960s to the 1990s. They include all genres, from action/adventure to musicals to horror, so there is something for just about anyone who’s ever been a fan of the movies or is a collector of movie posters. The collection includes inserts, door panels, one- and three-sheet posters and a Rolling Stones theater display.
Highlights will include style A and B one-sheet posters for Stanley Kubrick’s sci-fi epic “2001: A Space Odyssey” (MGM, 1968). The style B example is 27-by-41 inches and features artwork by Robert McCall. A one-sheet poster of the same size (standard for a one-sheet) for “JAWS” (Universal, 1975), directed by Steven Spielberg, with Roy Scheider, Robert Shaw and Richard Dreyfuss, is visually arresting with the iconic shark graphic.
James Bond fans will be treated to multiple offerings, including one-sheet and three-sheet versions of the poster for “Thunderball” (United Artists, 1965). The one-sheet, 27-by-41 inches, is the preferred version, as it features the back of the jet on 007 Bond’s back, extending above a green border. The three-sheet version is 41-by-84 inches. Both feature artwork by Robert McGinnis and Frank McCarthy. Also up for bid is a one-sheet poster for “You Only Live Twice” (United Artists, 1967), Style C, artwork by Mr. McGinnis.
A half-sheet poster for “King Kong vs. Godzilla” (Universal, 1963), depicting the two monsters engaged in battle, measures 22-by-28 inches. The movie was filmed in Japan and features an all-Japanese cast. Speaking of apes, a one-sheet poster for “Go Ape!” (20th Century Fox, 1974), from that year’s Planet of the Apes Film Festival, promoted the 1974 reissue of all five of the Planet of the Apes films, which enjoyed a huge audience.
A one-sheet poster for “The Italian Job” (Paramount, 1969), the classic caper film starring Michael Caine and a cult favorite, boasts fabulous graphics, making it one of the most highly sought after movie posters of the 1960s. Elvis fans rejoice! The King will appear multiple times in the auction, including on a three-sheet poster, 41-by-79 inches, for the film “Spinout” (MGM, 1966), co-starring Shelley Fabares of The Donna Reed Show fame, in two panels as originally produced, and a 14-by-36 inch insert for “Viva Las Vegas” (MGM, 1964), co-starring Ann-Margret, with color as vibrant as the movie itself, which paired two of the biggest stars of the time.
Both Beatles movies that featured the Fab Four in live acting roles will be in the sale, including a three-sheet poster for “HELP!” (United Artists, 1965), in near-mint condition with vibrant colors, two panels as originally printed, and a one-sheet poster for “A Hard Day’s Night” (United Artists, 1964), the group’s black-and-white debut film (the poster is in color), directed by Richard Lester, co-starring Wilfred Brambell as Paul’s grandfather.
In addition to “Jaws,” the horror genre will include a three-sheet poster for “Frankenstein Conquers the World,” starring Nick Adams, and a one-sheet poster for “Destroy All Monsters,” with Andrew Hughes, artwork for both by Reynold Brown. Both films were distributed in 1969 by American International and featured American and Japanese actors.
A three-sheet, one-panel poster for “Once Upon a Time in the West” (Paramount, 1969) is in near-mint condition. The movie was one of the greatest Westerns ever filmed and also had a star-studded cast, one that included Henry Fonda, Charles Bronson and Jason Robards.
To contact the Opportunities 2 Auction House, call 478-461-4931 or email kdbraswell01@yahoo.com.