Wealden Times | WT265 | June 2024 | Education Supplement inside

Going
Once
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We’re taking a look at all the best goodies
that can be picked up at auctions
MEMORABILIA &
COLLECTABLES
First up: Andrew Ewbank, Partner,
Auctioneer & Valuer at Ewbank’s tells
us about memorabilia and collectables
“
Memorabilia and Collectables
covers everything from vintage
movie posters, music, film,
TV or sporting memorabilia, through
to comics, Pokémon trading cards, toys,
models and retro video games. While
some more traditional areas may have
waned in popularity in recent years,
these categories have exploded and prices
continue to rise as they go from strength
to strength. In 2023 Ewbank’s collectables
departments represented over £2.2M in
sales for the business.
Popular culture sales are really capturing
buyers’ imaginations with the pull of
nostalgia, so there has never been a better
time to sell in these categories. For trading
cards and comics, buyers are looking for
good-quality sealed products or early
issues, but raw cards and books can also
be sold, and – if in good condition – can
be worth getting graded to increase their
value. Vintage film posters are a very
strong market, popular titles tend to be
pre-1990 and include James Bond, 50s and
60s cinema classics, and horror movies.
Up for auction on May 30 th , Ewbank’s
have a collection of original prototype
artworks for Hammer horror films by
renowned poster artists, Tom Chantrell
and Bill Wiggins, which were created to
be used as the basis of the British Quad
poster releases.
Auctions can be a great way to add
to your own collections too – they
provide a way to buy completely unique
items, and you have more security with
a reputable auction house than you do
with some online marketplaces. There
are still bargains to be had as a buyer too,
for example, if you are after an original
Star Wars poster from 1977, look at
some of the foreign language versions
that are available for less than the British
Quads. All auctioneers charge Buyer’s
Premium on top of the hammer price, and
shipping can be expensive depending on
the required insured value, so if you are
local, you can save money by collecting in
person. As to what to collect and buy, go
for what you love, you’ll be knowledgeable
and engaged in the process. And why not
attend a sale? Auctions are fun, you can set
your own spending limit, and just enjoy
yourself! There is no need to be afraid of
the auction process, all of our auctions
are live online, often with a video feed of
the auctioneer so that you can bid from
the comfort of your own home. Visit
Ewbank’s in Woking, Surrey or online at
ewbankauctions.co.uk
”
Upcoming and past lots, from top to bottom:
1. Bill Wiggins (American 1917-2012).
Frankenstein. The Monster From Hell,
c1974. Mixed media collage, unsigned.
Prototype artwork for the poster. Estimate:
£2,000-4,000 in Auction on 30th May.
2. James Bond: Live and Let Die (1973) British
Quad poster, framed. Estimate: £800-1,200
3. Marvel Comics: The Amazing Spider-Man
No. 194, featuring the 1st appearance of the
Black Cat (1979) raw copy. Estimate: £150-
250 in Auction 29th May.
4. Velvet Underground. Music concert
poster, Lancaster University, 29 October
1971, part of the ‘Loaded’ tour. Estimate
£800-1,200 in Auction 30th May.
5. The Pink Floyd - Original Early concert
poster for the Marquee Club 22 & 29
December, IBIS Designs, flat, 20x30 inches.
Sold for £20,800 inc. fees.
6. Creature From The Black Lagoon (1954).
Original hand painted artwork for the UK
Quad film poster of the Universal classic.
Sold for £28,600 inc. fees.
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