W.E.Smith were certainly printing many daybills from the 1920s onwards so it is possible that the details on the Sherlock Holmes daybill are correct.
I had a quick look through my long daybills and the1935 film The Healer has the printers details listed as "Lithographed & Printed By W.E. Smith Ltd. Sydney." I have a couple of other examples of Smith printed daybills from the mid 30s with the same notation. It would take a lot of time to go through everything but I also have a long daybill for 3 Keys (1925) which carried the printers details as "Printed by W.E.Smith Ltd Sydney Australia.
There is always a possibility that the printers details on the Sherlock Holmes poster were added by the restorer as a "best guess" but you can never be sure with linen backed posters unless you have a before and after photo.
It would certainly appear that there was originally a missing section of paper at the bottom of the poster. A correct ''best guess'' for W.E. Smith being the correct printer, and the application of the correct credit details that were used on W.E. Smith printed posters at that period of time were added. Unfortunately though some other essential information regarding the creation of this poster design that I am certain should be there is missing. I'll do a little more digging and return back here soon with some details.
Unless they copied from another exactly the same designed daybill image I am convinced the printer's credit is correct, but is missing some additional preceding credit information.
Thanks John and Hondo for the response. Apologies i actually missed your reply when I posted above (maybe a caching issue on my device) I didn't know We smith printed during the 1920s and this is the first time I have seen the lithographed notation. Good to know other examples exist with it. Thanks John for taking the time to look through your other long daybills. Thanks Hondo I am interested in what you think is missing from the poster design.
The Spotlight (1927),The Racket (1928) and The Letter (1929) Australian W. E. Smith printed daybill images from the 1920s. These are three examples of a number of daybills that I have image for of W.E.Smith printed posters from the '20s
O.k. my thoughts follow below on the Sherlock Holme daybills printer's missing credits.
Sherlock Holmes was released in Australia in very early 1933. In the early and mid 1930's Fox poster daybills were designed by the Montgomery Campbell Studio and lithographed by W.E.Smith Ltd. Sydney. Montgomery Campbell appears to have produced the Everyones Fox advertisements as well during this period of time. .
(1933) Released in Australia in November 1933.
(1932) Released in Australia in October 1932.
You will notice that appearing on this particular daybill the Montgomery Campell and the W.E.Smith credits positioning have been reversed on the poster.
(1935) Released in Australia in 1935.
I also have other examples of Fox daybills from the early and Mid 1930's including The Big Trail (1930) which was released in Australia in 1931.
The remaining daybill images I have from 1931 have the following credits presentation on them.
To sum things up the Sherlock Holmes printer's credit that was applied to the daybill is incorrect.
I have presented three versions above of Montgomery Campbell / W.E.Smith daybill credit applications used from 1931 to 1935.
The following version is the most commonly used application so most likely was the version originally printed on the Sherlock Holmes daybill. On saying that no 100% proof of this being the case but I strongly believe it to be the correct.
Comments
W.E.Smith were certainly printing many daybills from the 1920s onwards so it is possible that the details on the Sherlock Holmes daybill are correct.
I had a quick look through my long daybills and the1935 film The Healer has the printers details listed as "Lithographed & Printed By W.E. Smith Ltd. Sydney." I have a couple of other examples of Smith printed daybills from the mid 30s with the same notation. It would take a lot of time to go through everything but I also have a long daybill for 3 Keys (1925) which carried the printers details as "Printed by W.E.Smith Ltd Sydney Australia.
There is always a possibility that the printers details on the Sherlock Holmes poster were added by the restorer as a "best guess" but you can never be sure with linen backed posters unless you have a before and after photo.
Unfortunately though some other essential information regarding the creation of this poster design that I am certain should be there is missing.
I'll do a little more digging and return back here soon with some details.
I didn't know We smith printed during the 1920s and this is the first time I have seen the lithographed notation. Good to know other examples exist with it. Thanks John for taking the time to look through your other long daybills.
Thanks Hondo I am interested in what you think is missing from the poster design.
The Spotlight (1927),The Racket (1928) and The Letter (1929) Australian W. E. Smith printed daybill images from the 1920s. These are three examples of a number of daybills that I have image for of W.E.Smith printed posters from the '20s
An even earlier 1920's W.E.Smith daybill printing of Held To Answer (1923)
Sherlock Holmes was released in Australia in very early 1933. In the early and mid 1930's Fox poster daybills were designed by the Montgomery Campbell Studio and lithographed by W.E.Smith Ltd. Sydney. Montgomery Campbell appears to have produced the Everyones Fox advertisements as well during this period of time.
.
You will notice that appearing on this particular daybill the Montgomery Campell and the W.E.Smith credits positioning have been reversed on the poster.
I also have other examples of Fox daybills from the early and Mid 1930's including The Big Trail (1930) which was released in Australia in 1931.
The remaining daybill images I have from 1931 have the following credits presentation on them.
To sum things up the Sherlock Holmes printer's credit that was applied to the daybill is incorrect.
I have presented three versions above of Montgomery Campbell / W.E.Smith daybill credit applications used from 1931 to 1935.
The following version is the most commonly used application so most likely was the version originally printed on the Sherlock Holmes daybill. On saying that no 100% proof of this being the case but I strongly believe it to be the correct.
Peter