Hidden auction treasure, unveiling the $10,000 movie poster
A few days ago I was live bidding on a few antiques at an online auction. Some of the items needed a closer examination so I hopped in my vehicle and took a run into the city. I was bidding on a few 1800's beaver top-hats with leather cases. The cases are a rare find and in some instances can be more valuable than the hats. These hats were in extremely fine condition with the leather stitching on the inside still in tact.
IMAGE Original Blade Runner Movie Poster sold at a recent online auction
When I was at the viewing I saw a movie poster from a historical film that my daughter is infatuated with. Breakfast at Tiffany's starring Audrey Hepburn and George Peppard is above all her favourite and even spent some time recently in New York to have Breakfast at Tiffany's.
IMAGE Reproduction of the original 1961 Breakfast at Tiffany's movie poster.
I missed this in the auction listing and when I got home I bid on it. My thought was to surprise her and send it to her. I had taken a photo of it while at the viewing but never did a close examination and not thinking much of the value other than that of making my daughter extremely surprised.
I ended up winning the poster and missed the hats as they went far higher than I was willing to pay. After winning the poster I started to check the values and was shocked to find them selling for $10,000 plus. The ones that have recently sold went for well over $10,000 and the one I had bid on was in near perfect condition.
I did tell my daughter that I had won it, I just couldn't contain myself to not telling her and proceeded to tell her that she may be receiving what might be the most expensive item in her apartment.
Yesterday I picked up the poster and measured it. It measured 27" x 40" which doesn't match the original 1961 movie poster that measures 27" x 41" There were other tell tale signs that suggest it to not be original but all in all, my daughter is excited to receive it and has cleared a space for it on her wall. This was a cool experience for me, we have purchased literally thousands of movie posters in the past but finding this one has been such a shared adventure with my daughter and knowing it will be appreciated by her is such a great feeling.
IMAGE Inside one of the hats manufacturers details
I expect with things like movie posters you have to somehow check that they are original. I know there are a lot of fake antiques out there generally. Those hats are neat. I bet they were expensive in their time.
Yes there are several ways to check authenticity of items though it is getting quite challenging as anything valuable is being replicated. The hats were expensive then and they are now as well. The ones illustrated sold for $500 each which is not really a bad price but I can't justify the price to make money with. I have sold similar for upward $2000. So depending on the manufacturer date and condition the value can be extreme. I have a leather hat box coming in next week from the same estate that the auction was held for, no hat but the boxes are really hard to come by