Heritage Finds the "Lost Hollywood" Collection!

DALLAS, TEXAS: During the Golden Age of Hollywood, studios spared no expense to make their stars as attractive and glamorous as possible. A big part of that effort was what was known as "special" photography.

"From Hollywood's earliest days, it was common to take still shots of a production in progress to distribute to the media," said Grey Smith, Director of Vintage Movie Poster Auctions for Dallas-based Heritage Auction Galleries. "These stills could be taken on the set, or posed in a studio. The 'official' photos shot for the standard media package became known as the 'key set.'"

"Outside of the key set photos," Smith said, "the studios did what they called 'special' photography. These were stills taken by their very best photographers that could be used for special purposes, such as enticing a major magazine to do a feature on an upcoming picture by promising exclusive images. These images were often far superior to the key shots, as the photographers spent much more time on them, and they represented the work of Hollywood's photographic elite."

"We're very proud to be able to offer approximately 150 of these vintage stills - all from the world-renowned Culver City Archives - in our upcoming Signature Auction," said Smith. "These images, featuring everyone from Boris Karloff to Joan Crawford to the Marx Brothers to Basil Rathbone, by such noted photographers as George Hurrell, Clarence Sinclair Bull, Ruth Harriet Louise, Ernest Bachrach, and Eugene Robert Richee, have never before been offered to the public. Additionally, they have all been certified authentic by Comics Guaranty LLC, and each one has been placed in a protective plastic holder. This offering is a significant event for vintage Hollywood collectors, and I'd urge anyone with any interest in Hollywood or vintage photography to visit our website at www.HeritageAuctions.com/MoviePosters to learn more about these fascinating images."

Heritage Auction Galleries' upcoming Vintage Movie Poster Signature Auction, featuring the "Lost Hollywood" Collection, will be held July 12 & 13, 2006 in Dallas, Texas. For more information, or to bid online, please visit www.HeritageAuctions.com/MoviePosters.

Joan Crawford by George Hurrell - Lost Hollywood Collection (1933). Still (10" X 12.75").
ESTIMATE: $1,800 - $2,000

The Hound of the Baskervilles - Culver Pictures (20th Century Fox, 1939). Still (11" X 14")
ESTIMATE: $800 - $1,000

A Day at the Races - Culver Pictures (MGM, 1937). Still (8" X 10")
ESTIMATE: $200 - $300

Lullaby - Culver Pictures (MGM, 1931). Still (8.25" X 10.5")
ESTIMATE: $800 - $1,000

The Gorgeous Hussy - Culver Pictures (MGM, 1936). Still (10" X 13")
ESTIMATE: $200 - $300

For more information about Heritage's auctions, and a complete record of prices realized, along with full-color, enlargeable photos of each lot, please visit www.HeritageAuctions.com.

Prospective consignors and sellers of vintage movie posters and related material should contact Grey Smith at 1-800-872-6467, ext. 367, or 214-252-4367, or email GreySm@HeritageAuctions.com.

To reserve your copy of any Heritage auction catalog, please contact Nicole Jewell at 1-800-872-6467, ext. 272, or visit www.HeritageAuctions.com to order by email.