More than 50 lots of some of the rarest posters from the original Star Wars movie and its first two sequels are being offered at Heritage Auctions’ July 25 and 26 Vintage Movie Posters Signature® Auction.
The posters, originally released between 1977 and 1982, are among more than 1,300 lots of some of the rarest and most desirable vintage movie posters to come to auction, according to Grey Smith, Heritage’s Director of Movie Posters. They originate in the collection of the late John Williams (not to be confused with the composer of the same name), who passed away earlier this year.
“This once-in-a-lifetime selection includes the rare nylon banner produced for Star Wars’ initial release,” Smith said, “along with an autographed poster produced for the Star Wars concert series with artwork by John Alvin and signed by George Lucas as well as the scarce Howard Chaykin promotional poster autographed by the artist.”
The auction includes nearly all poster styles used at U.S. theaters for Lucas’ original three films, plus many used for worldwide distribution, including rare Russian, Polish, Japanese, French, British and German posters.
The auction also features rare animation posters, including Mickey Mouse in The Wayward Canary (1933), Donald Duck in The Plastic Inventor (1944) and Orphan’s Benefit (1941), as well as Goofy in How to Fish (1942).
“One of the most interesting and coveted Disney lots in the grouping is a beautiful stock 1935 Mickey Mouse poster announcing his cartoons in Technicolor,” Smith said. “This is a key piece in any advanced collection.”
Fans will also have a chance to bid on posters from classics of the Golden Age of Hollywood, such as The General Died at Dawn (1936), Jezebel (1938), Love Before Breakfast (1936), Casablanca (1942), and Baby Face (1933). Classic horror titles include Frankenstein (R-1947), Bride of Frankenstein (1935), Creature from the Black Lagoon (1954), House of Dracula (1945), and Frankenstein Meets the Wolf Man (1943).
“This auction also features a beautiful selection of lobby card sets,” Smith said. “The came to use from the collection a former Universal employee who kept them untouched for 70 years until his death.”
Included are full sets to My Man Godfrey, The Mummy’s Hand, Never Give a Sucker an Even Break, as well as almost all of the sets to the chapters of serial classics such as Flash Gordon Conquers the Universe, Green Hornet Strikes Again and The Phantom Creeps, all in near-mint to mint condition.