Frankenstein poster turns up in Nov. 22 modern art & furniture auction
WEST PALM BEACH, Fla. – Nestled between the sleek midcentury Italian furniture and cool contemporary artworks selected for Palm Beach Modern’s November 22, 2015 auction, a sci-fi gem is lurking. Entered as Lot 677, it’s a rare, super-creepy three-sheet Realart poster promoting the 1942 film “The Ghost of Frankenstein.”
Large, rare three-sheet poster for the 1942 film ‘Ghost of Frankenstein,’ 72 x 37.5 inches, est. $6,000-$10,000. Palm Beach Modern Auctions image
Realart posters rarely come to market, as very few examples have survived over the years. The present owner, a comic book collector and dealer since the age of nine, purchased the poster as a young man 27 years ago.
“He bought it from a woman whose father owned a movie theater. Apparently the poster was discovered in her father’s barn,” said Palm Beach Modern’s auctioneer, Rico Baca. “The consignor said he just had to have it after seeing the eerie green image of Frankenstein’s face, which dominates the poster.” Handled with care over the decades, the 72 by 37½-inch poster is estimated in the auction catalog at $6,000-$10,000.
“Not only is this poster one of the most visually compelling sci-fi images ever, it also represents a film whose cast included some of the greatest actors of that era of movie making,” said Baca. “From the horror genre, there’s Bela Lugosi and Lon Chaney. But on the other hand, there’s Sir Cedric Hardwicke and Ralph Bellamy, who were two of the most respected ‘serious’ actors of their time.”
Palm Beach Modern Auctions’ Nov. 21-22, 2015 auction will begin at 12 noon Eastern Time on both days, with absentee and Internet live bidding through LiveAuctioneers. The Frankenstein poster will be offered on day two, Nov. 22nd. For additional information on the poster, call 561-586-5500 or e-mail info@modernauctions.com.
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