Record Prices Set At Auction Of JOHNNY RAMONE's Movie Poster Collection

More than two dozen record prices were set for movie posters for "Casablanca", "Citizen Kane", "Frankenstein", "Attack of the 50 Foot Woman" and other films in a public auction that included the movie poster collection of the late RAMONES guitarist Johnny Ramone. The $1 million auction was conducted Friday night, March 18, by Heritage Galleries of Dallas, Texas.

"For the first time in nearly a decade, a public auction of classic movie posters reached the million dollar mark. Winning bidders paid a combined total of $1,047,267 for about 1,200 posters; about 150 of them from Ramone's personal collection," said Grey Smith, Heritage's Director of movie poster auctions.

The 1931 "Frankenstein" half-sheet poster from Ramone's collection sold for a record $25,300. His 1945 "House of Dracula" one-sheet poster brought a record $10,350. Other records from Ramone's collection included $12,650 for a one-sheet poster from the 1940 film, "The Invisible Man Returns", and $11,500 for a lobby card of the 1935 film "The Bride of Frankenstein".

Additional record prices paid for vintage movie memorabilia included $25,300 for a 1942 "Casablanca" one-sheet poster; $14,950 for a 1941 "Citizen Kane" one-sheet ("Style A"),and $8,050 for a one-sheet and $13,800 for a three-sheet poster from the 1958 science fiction movie "Attack of the 50 Foot Woman".

"Shortly before his death last September in Los Angeles, legendary punk rock guitarist Johnny Ramone decided to share with fans his passion for old movies. He consigned his extensive collection of vintage, original movie posters to be sold by Heritage Galleries," explained Smith.

"Johnny was a big fan of the Universal horror films, and he managed to assemble one of the best collections of this material I’ve ever seen. Bidders responded enthusiastically to this highly desirable material."

All prices quoted include a 15 percent buyer's fee paid by all winning bidders.