Remarkable Casablanca Poster Featured in Auction
Heritage Auctions is gearing up for its highly anticipated Movie Posters Signature® Auction, scheduled for August 28–29, where one particular item is expected to steal the spotlight: an extraordinary six-sheet poster for the iconic film Casablanca. This poster, known for its original release, is not only a centerpiece of cinematic history but also stands out as the finest specimen of its kind to ever be offered by Heritage Auctions. According to Zach Pogemiller, the Associate Movie Posters Director, the condition of this linen-backed piece is unparalleled, making it a rarity that collectors and movie enthusiasts alike are sure to covet.
Pogemiller expressed the significance of this poster, noting, "This shouldn’t exist," emphasizing the fragility of such memorabilia. The history behind these large-format posters is quite tumultuous; most were either plastered onto walls and subsequently removed or repurposed by theaters that created displays by cutting them into smaller pieces. Given that these posters were not seen as worthy of preservation, very few have survived the test of time. However, more than eighty years later, Casablanca remains a timeless classic, having won the Academy Award for Best Picture in 1943 and frequently topping lists of the greatest films ever made. Pogemiller describes the film as a vital entry point for modern audiences discovering classic black-and-white cinema, reminiscing about how it captured the hearts of many budding cinephiles, including himself.
Additional Treasures from the Golden Age of Cinema
In addition to the remarkable Casablanca poster, the auction will showcase a range of other cinematic memorabilia, including a three-sheet poster for Greta Garbo's 1930 film Anna Christie. This unique piece features a striking Art Deco portrait of Garbo but interestingly lacks any mention of her speaking role, leading experts to believe it was created for an unproduced silent version of the film. Furthermore, a first pressbook for Universal's 1931 Frankenstein, which is making its debut at a major auction house in the digital age, reveals the creative promotional strategies employed during the Golden Age of cinema. The promotional tactics of the era, which included advice for theater owners to cut up posters for display purposes, illustrate the disposable nature of such materials, highlighting their subsequent rarity. The pressbook even included dramatic warnings for the nervous viewers, detailing how ushers might need to provide smelling salts for those faint at heart.
Another exciting item is an unrestored Frankenstein montage lobby card, graded a 9.2 Near Mint and encapsulated by CGC, making it the highest-graded example available on the registry. This card, along with a scene card from the classic 1931 Dracula featuring the iconic Bela Lugosi, represents some of the finest pieces in horror film history. As Halloween approaches, collectors will also be thrilled by the 4K restoration of the 1958 Hammer Films classic The Horror of Dracula, which includes newly discovered scenes that were previously censored. This restoration will be celebrated with the introduction of the French Grande poster for the film, illustrated by Guy-Gérard Noël, which captures the chilling essence of Dracula against the silhouette of Castle Dracula.
Finally, the auction will feature a striking 24-sheet billboard from the Italian premiere of Sergio Leone's legendary Spaghetti Western, Il Buono, il Brutto, il Cattivo, also known as The Good, The Bad and the Ugly in America. This massive poster, measuring approximately 105 inches by 223 inches, perfectly embodies the monumental impact of a film that propelled Clint Eastwood to stardom.
As reported by artdaily.com.
