Exceedingly Rare Snow White Movie Poster to be Auctioned by Heritage!

40" x 60" is One of Only Two Known to Exist

Dallas, TX: In 1937, Walt Disney revolutionized the field of animation with the premiere of Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs. The first feature length, fully-animated film produced by the young studio, it became the most successful film of 1938, and the tenth highest grossing film of all time, when adjusted for inflation.

Originally derided as "Disney's Folly," Walt's wife and his brother Roy, who was also his business partner, tried to talk Disney out of the project, fearing that it would be an expensive disaster. Prior to Snow White, the Disney studio had found success in the production of short subjects such as their "Silly Symphonies" series and their popular Mickey Mouse cartoons. When Disney announced that he intended to make Snow White with a budget of $250,000 - ten times the cost of the average short - it was seen as an unwinnable gamble that eventually forced Disney to mortgage his house as the budget skyrocketed to an eventual $1.5 million during its three year development and production process.

Fortunately, Disney proved his detractors wrong upon the film's premiere on December 21, 1937 (it opened widely on February 8, 1938). An instant success, the film was, for a short time, the highest grossing film in movie history, supplanted only by Gone With the Wind in 1939. In addition to the cutting edge animation, which made extensive use of rotoscoping - a process in which actors are filmed and then animated - to provide a naturalistic feel to the characters, the movie featured a number of songs that have become timeless classics, including "Some Day My Prince Will Come," "Heigh-Ho," and "Whistle While You Work." Since its initial release, Snow White has enjoyed multiple re-releases from the Disney studios on a regular basis, first in theaters, then on VHS and most recently on DVD.

"There's no doubt that Snow White is one of the most beloved movies in film history," said Grey Smith, Director of Vintage Movie Poster Auctions for Dallas-based Heritage Auction Galleries. "A favorite of young and old alike, the movie speaks to generation after generation of fans. Consequently, the posters from this landmark film are eagerly sought after by collectors. Indeed, the one sheets regularly bring strong five-figure prices when offered at auction."

"One of the most striking, and one of the rarest, of all the Snow White posters, is the 40" x 60" style, featuring glorious artwork by animator Grim Natwick and art director Gustav Tenggren," said Smith. "These large posters - the standard one sheet measures 27" x 41" - were intended for inside-the-theater displays or for standees or what have you. They were typically printed on a more substantial, stock, some, like this, being produced by means of a photogelatin process with a semi-glossy finish, unlike the matte finish used on most posters of the time. The fact that these posters were printed in far smaller quantities than the one sheets, coupled with the fact that their larger size made them exponentially more difficult to store, as well as the inherently fragile nature of the paper stock, explains why so few have survived to the present day. Nonetheless, this exceptional poster features beautiful artwork and will no doubt serve as the centerpiece to any advanced Disney collection."

Smith continued, "As this is a poster that even the most dedicated Disney fan may not have had the opportunity to see, I'd invite everyone to visit our website at www.HA.com, where you'll see enlargeable, full-color images of each and every lot in the auction, accompanied by our complete and informative catalog descriptions. You can even place your bids online from the comfort and convenience of your home or office."

The Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs 40" x 60" poster will be offered in Heritage Auction Galleries' upcoming Vintage Movie Poster Auction, to be held November 13 & 14, 2007 in Dallas, Texas. For more information, please visit www.HA.com/MoviePosters.

Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs (RKO, 1937). Poster (40" X 60"):
ESTIMATE: $25,000 - $35,000

For more information about Heritage's auctions, and a complete record of prices realized, along with full-color, enlargeable photos of each lot, please visit www.HA.com.

To access the Heritage Press Release Archives, please visit www.HA.com/MoviePosters/common/info/press

Prospective consignors and sellers of vintage movie posters and related material should contact Grey Smith at 1-800-872-6467, ext. 1367, or 214-409-1367, or email GreySm@HA.com.

To reserve your copy of any Heritage auction catalog, please Client Services at 1-800-872-6467, ext. 1150, or visit www.HA.com/Catalog to order by email.