COMPLIMENTARY COPY
New World’s Record Achieved For Movie Poster
AAN Current News
Rare 1931 “Dracula,” One Of Two Examples Known, Sells For $525,800 FRIDAY DECEMBER 8, 2017 • VOL. 48, NO. 49
Felix The Cat Cartoon Star Of Silent Cinema By Roy Nuhn Felix the Cat, probably the greatest star of early film animation, began his escapades nearly a century ago. Older than Mickey Mouse and Donald Duck, he was such a big hit on the flickering screen during the Roaring ‘20s that a young Walt Disney, then embarking upon a film animation career, never attempted to showcase a cat. Felix was as much the official mascot of that decade as Snoopy, Garfield and Big Bird are today - and for much the same reason. Each is a human-like animal who always manages to overcome the same every day problems and obstacles that defeat us mere mortals. Felix reigns as one of comic art’s greatest and most enduring feline stars. The phenomenal success of George Harriman’s Krazy Kat may have paved the way, but Felix became immensely popular with movie goers by developing a unique blend of crafty craziness, derring-do, and exuberance. Otto Messmer, working for the Pat Sullivan Studio, originated Felix in 1919. He came up with idea of film cartoons about a black cat for Paramount to use in its weekly Paramount Screen Magazine series. Felix was an instant box office smash hit and quickly became the major focus of the Sullivan Studio. Messmer (1892-1983) remained the guiding force behind the cat, doing most of the story ideas and artwork, until the studio was disbanded. In 1921, Sullivan signed with an independent distributor. Felix Saves the Day debuted the following year. More and more cartoons followed, and soon Felix merchandise of all types was being licensed. He went global and captured a worldwide following.
This is a Felix comic book (Felix Comics, 1990s).
One of just two surviving movie posters for the 1931 horror classic “Dracula” set a world record for the most valuable movie poster ever sold at auction when it brought $525,800 on Nov. 18 in a public auction held live and online by Heritage Auctions. The poster surpassed the previous auction record of $478,000, which was also set (twice) by Heritage. Heritage had just sold the only known surviving Italian issue movie poster from 1946 for “Casablanca” in July of 2017, which matched their own previous world record from November of 2014 for an only-known 1927 copy of the poster for “London After Midnight.” This particular poster style from “Dracula” depicts the menacing visage of actor Bela Lugosi, who transformed the character into the now-famous universal monster. Recently discovered in the San Diego, Calif., collection of a noted film historian, collectors and experts consider it one of the most desirable horror movie posters ever produced. The family of its longtime owner, Lt. Col. George J. Mitchell Jr.,
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The Colors Of Christmas At The Burlington Emporium an associate member of the American Society of Cinematographers, placed the poster up for auction. Mitchell had owned the poster since the 1950s. “The reason my dad purchased the poster is because he loved horror films. He was drawn to the Bela Lugosi poster because it brought
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This is an Inter-Act Co. postcard from the 1920s.
Boltz Sells Brumbach Watercolor For $10,000
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This comic is from Dell Publishing Co., Volume 1, No. 14, April-May 1956 issue. Famous he was, headlining hundreds of film cartoons produced in assemby-line fashion at the rate of two or more a month and holding down a premier spot in the Sunday newspaper funnies (also drawn by Messmer) for several decades. Felix, with his famous invisible magic bag of tricks, remained one of Americas favorite imaginary characters for many years. His habit of walking back and forth, hands behind his back, trying to think through a perplexing problem and talking to audiences by flashing question and exclamation marks on the screen, became part of the legend. Unlike the majority of cartoon characters created so long ago for the motion picture screen and the comic pages, Felix was not limited to a two-dimensional world. Along with Winsor McCay’s Little Nemo, he possessed super normal abilities.
It’s A Gingerbread Candy Land For Christmas At Haddon Heights
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David Brumbach’s watercolor titled “View From Snake Hill Road” realized $10,000. A David Brumbach watercolor titled “View From Snake Hill Road” sold for $10,000 at Boltz Auction Company’s Firearms, Toys, Advertising, and Fine Antiques sale on Nov. 4. The auction was held live and online at Boltz’s facility on Columbia Avenue in Lancaster, Pa. Brumbach (1948-92) was born in Lititz, Pa., and his work encompasses
a realistic yet abstract nature. He is a highly regarded and talented artist whose work has a large market. In the gun category, a “M. Fordney” long rifle sold for $3,700. Lancaster, Pa., gunmaker Melchoir Fordney (1807-46) produced fine long rifles. A Winchester Model 1866 brought $2,000; a percussion cane gun, $1,100; a Sharps 1863 52 caliber, $1,000; and a Winchester Model 92, $800. To learn more, readers may call 717392-4257.
Paul Manship “Sagittarius” Bronze Relief Of A Model To Headline James D. Julia’s Auction on page 12
In This Issue SHOPS, SHOWS & MARKETS . . . . . . . . . . starting on page 3
The Melchoir Fordney long rifle sold for $3,700.
SHOPS DIRECTORY . . . . . . . . . on page 5 EVENT & AUCTION CALENDAR . on page 7 AUCTION SALE BILLS . . . starting on page 7
FEATURED AUCTION: Cordier Auctions - December 10 in Harrisburg, Pennsylvania - Page 10
AUCTIONEER DIRECTORY . . . . . on page 8 CLASSIFIEDS . . . . . . . . . . . . . on page 15