Ewbank’s, one of Surrey’s leading auction houses, will be hosting an auction dedicated to rare memorabilia from various entertainment industries on 4 March. This auction will include a selection of photographs, vintage posters, movie props, signed objects and more. With approximately 580 lots available, it's not to be missed.
One of the most valuable items in this sale is the Uncorrected Proof Copy of Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone. It is one of only 200 copies of J.K. Rowling’s first edition book from 1997. In near perfect condition, this book features such novelties as a misspelling of “J.A. Rowling'' and the original white and yellow wrapper. This edition has been under private ownership since 1997, and this is the first time that it has ever been up for auction. This rare item marks the beginning of one of the most iconic novel and film franchises in the world, and would be a truly treasured part of any collection.
Another item that is sure to excite Harry Potter fans is a first edition of the Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them (2016) paperback. Written as if it was coming straight from the magical world of Harry Potter, this book includes a special forward written by character Albus Dumbledore. Additionally, the front page is signed by stars of the original Harry Potter series Daniel Radcliff, Rupert Grint, Josh Herdman, Tom Felton, and Matthew Lewis with their film character names. Further included is an original watercolour by the series’s illustrator Giles Greenfield and two prop flyers featured in the 2016 Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them film.
Another prized object up for auction is a signed photograph of the legendary Hungarian-American magician and escapologist Harry Houdini (1874-1926). Hand-signed “Best wishes, Houdini", this photograph came from a family friend of the artist and illustrator Richard Ogle. The image was most likely used by Ogle to create more renditions of Houdini, as it was clearly traced over multiple times. Most well-known for his illustrations and landscapes, Ogle studied under famous nineteenth-century painters John Singer Sargent and Solomon J. Solomon at the Royal Academy Schools. This lot also includes an original sketch of Houdini, signed and dated by Ogle on 20th May 1920, as well as a 1920 Houdini booklet.
A truly special addition to this auction is a signed photograph of the cultural and fashion icon Diana, Princess of Wales. This colour photograph shows Princess Diana wearing a white blazer and standing with her hands clasped. It was hand-signed by Princess Diana with her first name and dated in 1992. This photograph comes with an additional photograph of Princess Diana and a signed letter from St. James’s Palace, dated 28th September 1992. It was originally purchased at a charity auction.
From the Oscar-winning film Titanic (1997), this third-class passenger’s ticket prop up for auction was won by Jack Dawson, played by Leonardo DiCaprio, in the decisive poker game at the beginning of the film. The ticket is filled out with the name Olaf Gunderson, from whom Jack won the ticket. One will notice that this framed ticket is actually printed as a mirror image. For the film, director James Cameron built an almost full-size prop Titanic ship. In order for it to appear as if it was departing from the set dock, Cameron needed to flip the footage post-production. Therefore, all other props in the scene, including this ticket, needed to be adjusted and reversed.
Moving into the music sphere, this original concert poster for British rock band The Police is from the Hammersmith Odeon. It is dated for September 1979, just two years after they became active. At this concert, the British new wave band Fashion opened for The Police, as reflected in this poster. The Police’s setlist for this performance included some of their big hits such as ‘Message in a Bottle’, ‘So Lonely’ and ‘Walking on the Moon’. These two concerts were a part of The Police Around the World Tour, and were two out of the three times that The Police performed at the Hammersmith Odeon.
