Discover the Rare Original Artworks Behind Classic Film Posters

The Missouri Breaks (1976), original artwork for the British 30 x 40 poster
Gouache, acrylic and mixed media on artboard
Estimate £1,400–2,600

In the 1940s, illustrator Eric Pulford set up his own design studio, which would eventually merge with Downton's Advertising, one of Britain's premier film advertising agencies.

The process of designing a British poster would often start from the film script or rough cut of the film. A team of visualizers and copywriters produced a range of ideas which Pulford would review before presenting to his clients.

At the time no one anticipated that there would be an interest in the artworks and they were discarded. A number of artworks, including this one for epic Western The Missouri Breaks, were saved by John Grundy, the former managing director of Downton's.

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The Karate Kid Part II (1986), original concept artwork for the British poster
Watercolour and gouache on artboard
Estimate £1,200–1,800

Pulford hired several talented young college leavers, including Bryan Bysouth and Vic Fair. This artwork was undertaken by Bysouth for the British poster promoting the second instalment of the hit Karate Kid franchise.

Bysouth is also responsible for designing some of the most iconic film posters over his 40-year career, including The Golden Voyage of Sinbad (1973), Raiders of the Lost Ark (1981), A View to a Kill (1985) and The Living Daylights (1987).

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Adventures of Don Juan (1948), original artwork for the 1950s French re-release poster
Gouache on artboard
Estimate £1,500–2,500

This artwork by Georges Allard was for the poster promoting the French release. The swashbuckling adventure romance starred the dashing Errol Flynn as legendary womanizer Don Juan.

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Gone with the Wind (1939), original preliminary artwork for the 1968 American re-release
Gouache on art paper
Estimate £4,000–6,000

This artwork, created for the poster promoting the re-release of Gone with the Wind in the US, dramatically depicts Rhett Butler holding a swooning Scarlett O’Hara while Atlanta burns in the background. The image – which has come to be emblematic of the film – is one of the most recognisable in the history of cinema.

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Labyrinth (1986), original concept artwork for the British poster
Pencil, gouache and acrylic on paper, mounted on artboard
Estimate £2,000–3,000

Vic Fair, who designed the British poster for this cult film for Downton's Advertising, had a long and successful career in film poster design and worked for most of the major studios.

One of the first posters he worked on was the British artwork for La Verité, starring Brigitte Bardot, for which he won an advertising award. His distinctive style can be seen on many posters, including those for Performance (1971), The Man Who Fell to Earth (1976) and A View to a Kill (1985). This piece has the original hand-lettered acetate overlay attached to the reverse of the frame.

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The Wild Geese (1978), original artwork for the British 30 x 40 inch poster
Gouache and watercolour on artboard
Estimate £5,000–8,000

This artwork, by Arnaldo Putzo of Downton's Advertising, was for the British poster promoting 1970s war film The Wild Geese, which starred Richard Burton, Roger Moore, Richard Harris and Hardy Kruger.

Putzo was hired by Eric Pulford from Studio Favalli in Rome to come to London and join his team. Normally poster artwork was smaller than the final poster, however Putzu liked to work on a large scale and this finished artwork is larger than the poster. The actual poster is also included in this lot.

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The Spy who Came in from the Cold (1965), original artwork for the French poster
Gouache on artboard
Estimate £3,000–5,000

This artwork by Michel Landi superbly captures the strong and moody Richard Burton in this unique artwork for the French poster promoting this famous British spy film, based on the novel by John le Carré.

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The Birds (1963), original painting for the cover of Cinefantastique Magazine in 1980
Acrylic and airbrush on artboard
Estimate £4,000–6,000

In 1980 when Kirk Henderson was commissioned to design the cover of Cinefantistique Magazine, Hitchcock’s The Birds was already a legendary horror film. Henderson not only included Tippi Hedren and the menacing birds in his artwork, but also included a tonal blue portrait of the master of suspense, Alfred Hitchcock. Included in this lot is a copy of the original magazine.

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Paris Blues (1961), original artwork for the French poster
Gouache on artboard
Estimate £2,000–3,000

This artwork was previously part of a private French collection of poster artworks. This 1961 American drama was directed by Martin Ritt, and stars Sidney Poitier and Paul Newman. It was based on the novel of the same name by Harold Flender, and tells the story of two jazz musicians living in Paris who meet two American tourists.

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Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs (1937), original artwork for front of house stills for the 1940s British re-release
Gouache on artboard
Estimate £4,000–6,000

Pieces on the classic Disney films are always highly prized. This original artwork only recently surfaced, and was previously owned by an English lady, who had been given this piece in the 1940s. Prior to this discovery, no other Snow White artwork for posters or front of house stills had been seen. This was Walt Disney's first feature animation and when it was released in 1937 was welcomed as a magical marvel.

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