Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs (RKO, 1937). Poster (40" X 60"). ...

Description

Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs (RKO, 1937). Poster (40" X 60"). There's rare, there's very rare, and then there's "Wow." This incredible poster definitely belongs in the latter category. As is commonly known, "Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs" was a film that Walt Disney made over the objections of nearly everyone around him. No one thought that the movie-going public would accept a feature-length cartoon, and Walt's brother Roy, who was also his business partner, was aghast when Walt told him he could do the film for $250,000 - ten times the cost of the average short the studio was used to producing. When the budget ballooned to over $1.5 million - Walt actually mortgaged his house to keep production going - the film earned the sobriquet "Walt's Folly," and naysayers predicted that the ambitious project would bankrupt the still young studio. Walt's vision proved them all wrong, of course, and "Snow White" went on to become the top-grossing film of 1938, and, for a while, the top-grossing film of all time, until it was supplanted by "Gone with the Wind" in 1939. It has since become one of the most beloved films of all time, thrilling audiences young and old for generations. Offered here is the exceptionally rare 40" X 60" poster. These oversized pieces were typically intended for front-of-house displays, or for use as standees and, due to their large, difficult-to-store size and fragile paper-stock, were rarely saved. That this one has survived nearly seven decades is nothing short of a miracle, especially considering the thin, glossy photo paper on which it's printed (posters of this size were usually printed on heavier stock, but Disney obviously wanted to emphasize the artwork and the colors in this beauty, leading him to use a photogelatin process that required the more fragile paper). Notice the photo from the original press book (which is not available as part of this lot) which pictures the 40" X 60" available at a whooping $1.25 apiece to theater owners. That was a tremendous amount of money for a poster at that time and undoubtedly few were ordered by the exhibitor. This breathtaking image, featuring artwork by animator Grim Natwick and art director Gustav Tenggren, practically tells the movie's story in its entirety, with delicate watercolor scene images surrounding a gathering of all the characters. Unrestored, the only flaws are several minor pinholes around the border. Other than that, this remarkable find is unblemished, making it a highly desirable piece for anyone who loves this eternal classic. Rolled, Very Fine+.

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