Star Wars so wrong it’s right to buy

1977 Star Wars British quad poster – £4200 at Ewbank’s.

Boosted by the ‘wrong therefore rare’ factor – so important in the world of collectables – a 1977 British quad film poster for the first Star Wars film took top billing in a 250-lot specialist sale at Ewbank’s (24% buyer’s premium).

Extracted from Antiques Trade Gazette | Terence Ryle

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The 2ft 6in x 3ft 4in (76cm x1.02m) artwork by brothers Tim & Greg Hildebrandt was done for the UK release of the movie but withdrawn in favour of the well-known Tom Chantrell version which portrayed the actors more closely.

The discontinued 2ft 6in x3ft 4in (76cm x 1.02m) poster at the Woking sale on August 23 was in very fine rolled condition with only minor nicks and bumps to edges. Against a £1000-1500 estimate, it went to a Surrey collector at £4200.

Going further beyond estimate was a British quad for Hammer Film’s 1966 Plague of the Zombies. Horror movie posters are perennial favourites among UK buyers but clearly also have international appeal – this example, was pitched at £100-150 but sold to a south-east Asian bidder at £2400.