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In the Time of COVID-19: Pop Culture Thriving?

n recent discussions, a handful of auction houses and high-end There were several record setters and more that exceeded estimates.
comic book insiders confessed that in the early days of the An Italian two-sheet for the Hammer horror film Horror of
ICOVID-19 pandemic they really didn’t know how the market was Dracula opened at $9,000 and eventually set a record at $84,000.
going to go. Within a The only known copy of the Sunrise one-sheet for F.W. Murnau’s
couple of weeks, though, Oscar-winning 1927 movie brought $48,000. A one-sheet for
it became clear that at 1919’s The Master Mystery, featuring Harry Houdini was offered by
least some of the people Heritage for the first time, selling for $43,200.
staying home were Outside of movie artwork, a “Never Was So Much Owed by So
turning to collectibles. Many to So Few” World War II poster named for a Winston Churchill
We’ve clearly seen speech achieved $45,600. According to Heritage, that is the most paid
this in the comic for a World War II propaganda piece.
book market and other Among the more modern offerings, a Pulp Fiction poster that was
pop culture niches, recalled for depicting Lucky Strike cigarettes without permission sold
where fans have been for $6,600. A Star Wars first printing printer’s proof one-sheet also
taking the “fun” money went for $6,600.
they budgeted for
going to conventions ACTION FIGURES
and spending them AT HAKE’S
instead on collectibles, Likewise, the action
some of which might
normally have been figure arena seems strong,
too.
Hake’s
Auctions
considered outside
of their budgetary August 6 event, their first
online-only action figure
ranges. It hasn’t all
been record-setting auction, reported strong
results across the board.
transactions, but
neither has it all been The offerings spotlighted
This Swedish one-sheet for Casablanca nearly bargain basement more than 200 lots of
tripled its estimate when it sold for $55,000 adventures either. figures from many popular
at Heritage. Image courtesy of Heritage Auctions. properties, predominately
made in the 1970s and
‘80s. It was the biggest
MOVIE POSTERS AT HERITAGE
bidder turnout so far
This seems to be true for movie posters as well. Heritage’s
July 25-26, 2020 movie poster auction achieved some great prices, led for one of their online
by a scarcely seen (so to speak) Invisible Man teaser for the 1933 classic exclusive auctions,
that scared up $228,000. The auction drew the attention of over 1,700 prompting the top six
bidders and brought in a total of $2.3 million. lots to all exceed their
“The sale was very active,” Grey Smith, Heritage’s Director of estimates, some by a wide
Vintage Posters, said. “A large number of bidders participated, there margin.
were strong results overall – and some records set.” Collectively, Star Wars
Most items exceeded their pre-auction estimates, according to and Masters of the Universe
Heritage. One was the Swedish one-sheet for Casablanca, which nearly figures led the auction, but
tripled its estimate to sell for $55,000. Bidders played it again plenty of great results
This Star Wars Stormtrooper 12-back-C AFA were achieved for all
for Casablanca with two chairs from Rick’s Café Américain hammering 80 on punched card took the top spot in Hake’s
for $78,000 – 10 times the estimate. Another big sale happened for that online-only auction when it sold for $1,312, lines, according to Hake’s
title when a lobby card set a record at $33,600. $300 over the high-end estimate. President Alex Winter.
Director Fritz Lang’s masterpieces garnered some of the weekend’s Image courtesy of Hake’s Auctions. “The demand for action
highest bidding. The German poster for 1931’s M opened at $31,000 figures has been high and
and was propelled to $108,000 – setting a record for the piece. A very the timing was perfect. As collections were coming in everything fell
rare Metropolis poster from the initial US release in ’27 saw heavy right into place which created a very diverse selection of items,” Hake’s
bidding on its way to $66,000. Consignment Manager Kelly McClain said.
Continued on next page

J.C. Vaughn is Vice-President of Publishing for Gemstone Publishing. Gemstone’s Amanda Sheriff contributed to this column.
September 2020 45