Things To Come Authenticity ?
Things To Come ( 1936 ). Your thoughts on this poster that has been described as an original release Australian daybill poster? If this poster is original it would have been a long daybill which it appears to be in size by looking at it.
The four problems I have in it being an authentic original Australia daybill printed for the 1936 Australian release are as follows.
No printer's credit on the poster.
No censorship classification appearing.
No United Artists film distributor credit appearing.
No blank section on the top of the poster.
What do you think?
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Oh, I've been meaning to post about this poster. Come across it on several occasions when looking for other things and it always struck me as odd for an Aussie Daybill. Just doesn't look right.
The blank section at the top had me going, but then thought trimmed? If so, it would be off in terms of proportions and it isn't to the eye at least.
Would love to hear more...
An image appears in the Hershenson / Allen archives of the Australian poster in question, minus any sale date. I am wondering if only one copy actually exists and the Hershenson / Allen poster is the one that was sold and then the purchaser restored it on linen and it ended up being sold by Heritage om March 11, 2008?
Entirely possible/likely.
HA's description: "fold wear, and some edge chipping, including a large chip out of the bottom right border. Additionally, all of the borders have been repaired."
Which of course would explain why no printer information.
I haven't been able to locate until now an original London Films / United Artists daybill produced around the time that Things to Come was released in Australia. The above Fire Over England daybill from Ves, which has just appeared on another thread, was printed for the 1937 release in Australia. Things To Come was released in Australia the previous year.
You will observe that all the four items of concern regarding the Things To Come that I listed previously appear on the Fire Over England daybill. plus now a London Films logo that I hadn't mentioned as being absent from the Things to Come poster.
The Things To Come poster due to restoration most likely accounts for the missing top blank section and the missing printer'e credits, but this still leaves the missing London Films logo, the United Artists logo and the censorship classification ( ? ) being absent.
I am not saying one way or another that the Things To Come poster is not an original Australian daybill poster printed for the 1936 release, or is possibly something altogether different. All I have done is to supply the facts as I know them, and you can make up your own mind. I know many people that believe it to be an original release Australian daybii, and they may me correct, but there are others who aren't 100% convinced that it is.
Now a case to be presented for why the poster may be an original Australian 1936 release daybill. My original reasons are followed by what may have happened.
''The four problems I have in it being an authentic original Australia daybill printed for the 1936 Australian release are as follows.''
''No printer's credit on the poster.'' Due to large chip in this printers's credit placement area they are missing..
''No censorship classification appearing.'' Some films from around this period still didn't have censorship ratings appearing on Australian film posters.
''No United Artists film distributor credit appearing.'' The artwork used on the daybill appears to have been copied from the U.S.A. insert design rather than any original British used artwork. The insert has a London Film released thru United Artists credit printed on it. Due to either an oversight or just lack of enough remaining space there to include these credits, along with some other actors' names, could explain the absense of these credits appearing on the Australian daybill.
''No blank section on the top of the poster.'' Possibly trimmed.
Love to hear any new or first time comments from anyone that would like to contribute, or from any previous cobtributors who perhaps have altered their thinking on the origins of this poster.It is possible that much of the things that ring the alarm bells are caused by the restoration done to the poster.
Having handled so many daybills over the years, you would think that HA would know the difference.
Certainly one of those times where if only we could get our hands on it!
I noticed some different artwork so I thought I would highlight in here, although it has nothing to do with the authenticity question.
The U.S.A. insert has the fire blazing in the background only, with no people appearing in the streets whatsoever.
The Australian version has four men in the streets all appearing to be reacting to something further away than the above pilot's legs, and the men are among still burning building ruins.
Doesn't HA get a poster restored when it a valuable poster comes their way? I think you told me that Ves? Like you said, HA should know the difference.
This copy of Things To Come is currently being advertised as being an Australian daybill on the Heritage Auctions website, It is up for auction in a Signature Auction that is scheduled for April 29-30, 2023. It is listed as being trimmed and 13'' x 36.5'' in size. and it isn't listed as been restored.