It was reported recently that 70 vintage film posters will go on sale on 15 September,2017 at Rogers Jones & Co, auctioneers in Cardiff, Wales.

Dating from 1936 to 1941, the posters were discovered in 1985 in a house that had been owned by a cinema owner/executive. The two builders who were renovating the house, took up the carpets and found the posters which had been used as underlay!

 

Somehow, the posters were still in very good condition and included some which were 12-sheet size ie 10 feet high, billboard size.

The builders who do not wish to be named, kept the posters in plastic containers in a lock-up for 30 years, and have finally decided to sell them after realising they might have some value!

 

The posters would have been in use in several cinemas in Cardiff, such as the Capitol, the New Theatre and the Empire.

 

The auctioneers have said they were not sure about prices. I read that they will be sold as 70 separate lots, with asking prices of £30 to £150 – which seems awfully low. I wonder if any American dealers will be bidding.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

All the above pictures are of the amazing find. I’ll be checking out the sale on the 15th. A pity no one has established who the cinema owner was. The auctioneers website is at https://www.the-saleroom.com/en-gb/auction-catalogues/rogersjones/catalogue-id-rogers10117

I read that the twelve sheets are extremely rare. They were introduced and primarily used by Paramount during the 1940s as small billboards. Made of paper, they generally measured 9 feet by 12. It proved to be an unpopular size and was discontinued. Most of them were destroyed when being removed from the billboard.