Three Ages (Metro, 1923). One Sheet (27.5" X 41").. ...

Description

Three Ages (Metro, 1923). One Sheet (27.5" X 41").
Early one sheet posters for silent comedic genius Buster Keaton hardly ever surface, and this is one of particular significance - this was Keaton's very first full length feature film. Three Ages is a parody of D.W. Griffith's epic silent film Intolerance and was actually three short two reel films strung together. Keaton reasoned that if a feature didn't sell well to theaters, he could break the three parts up and release them separately. Set in the Stone Age, the era of Roman Empire, and modern 1920s America, the comedy features, in each era, Keaton as The Boy, Margaret Leahy as The Girl, and Wallace Beery as The Villain. This was the film where Keaton made a leap between two tall buildings, missed, and unintentionally fell. He didn't scrap the shot, but used it to facilitate a chase sequence. This gorgeous stone litho poster, featuring Keaton in his three roles, is exceedingly rare. This is the only known example of this one sheet, and was previously sold at auction in 1997. Prior to the first-rate restoration, there was some paper loss or a large chip extending into the background area on the right and left sides, small border chips, tears in the upper left corner, and a stain on Keaton's Roman face. There has been touchup to this and to the folds. The poster now displays beautifully. Fine on Paper.

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