RARE 'BRIDE OF FRANKENSTEIN' MOVIE POSTER TO BE AUCTIONED

THE TANTALIZING COMBINATION OF RARITY, QUALITY AND SHEER ARTISTRY COULD ALL MERGE TO CREATE A WORLD RECORD PRICE AT AUCTION WHEN THE ONLY KNOWN THE BRIDE OF FRANKENSTEIN (UNIVERSAL, 1935) TEASER ONE SHEET STYLE E MOVIE POSTER, FROM THE RENOWNED COLLECTION OF TODD FEIERTAG, COME UP FOR AUCTION AS PART OF HERITAGE AUCTION GALLERIES BEVERLY HILLS SIGNATURE MOVIE POSTER AUCTION. IT IS ESTIMATED AT $700,000. THE POSTER IS CURRENTLY ON DISPLAY AT HERITAGE BEVERLY HILLS AND CAN BE SEEN ON A WALK-IN BASIS. 'EARLY UNIVERSAL HORROR MOVIE POSTERS ARE BLUE CHIPS OF THE COLLECTING HOBBY', SAID GREY SMITH, DIRECTOR OF THE MOVIE POSTER AUCTIONS AT HERITAGE, 'AND THIS INCREDIBLE UNIVERSAL HORROR ONE SHEET FROM THE BRIDE IS EASILY THE MOST DRAMATIC POSTER I'VE EVER SEEN, FROM ANY GENRE. IT'S REASONABLE TO SAY THAT THIS IS A ONCE IN A LIFETIME OPPORTUNITY. THIS IS THE ONLY EXAMPLE OF THIS POSTER TO EVER SURFACE AND, AFTER ALL THESE YEARS, IT'S VERY LIKELY WILL NEVER BE ANOTHER. IT REPRESENTS THE RAREST OF THE RARE FOR A MOST DESIRABLE MOVIE TITLE AND POP-CULTURE ICON.' HERITAGE PREVIOUSLY SOLD A POSTER THAT IS TIED FOR THE SECOND HIGHEST PRICE REALIZED FOR A MOVIE POSTER, A STYLE B ONE SHEET FROM THE BLACK CAT, FOR $334,600 IN NOVEMBER 2009, WHICH RANKS BEHIND THE AUCTION SALE OF THE MUMMY, IN MARCH 1997, FOR $453,500, AT A DIFFERENT AUCTION HOUSE. THE PRESENT POSTER COMES FROM THE SAME COLLECTION AS THE MUMMY AND THE BLACK CAT, THAT OF TODD FEIERTAG, WHO FOR NEARLY 50 YEARS HAS AMASSED PROBABLY THE SINGLE GREATEST COLLECTION OF VINTAGE HORROR POSTERS IN THE WORLD AND WHO HAS DECIDED THAT THE TIME HAS COME TO BRING ANOTHER ONE OF HIS MOST TREASURED POSTERS TO THE MARKET.

BUCKINGHAM PALACE SHOWS RECORD BREAKING SUMMER SEASON

A RECORD-BREAKING 413,000 VISITORS PASSED THROUGH THE DOORS OF BUCKINGHAM PALACE DURING THIS YEAR'S SUMMER OPENING. ATTENDANCE WAS THE HIGHEST IN 16 YEARS AND THE SECOND HIGHEST SINCE BUCKINGHAM PALACE FIRST OPENED TO THE PUBLIC IN 1993 (420,000 VISITORS WERE RECORDED IN 1994). TO TOP A VERY SUCCESSFUL YEAR, BUCKINGHAM PALACE WAS AWARDED 'BEST UK ATTRACTION' AT BOTH THE GROUP TRAVEL AWARDS AND THE GROUP LEISURE AWARDS. MANY WHO HAD VISITED BUCKINGHAM PALACE IN PREVIOUS SEASONS RETURNED THIS SUMMER TO SEE THE SPECIAL EXHIBITION, THE QUEEN'S YEAR, WHICH CHARTED THE SPECTACLE AND VARIETY OF THE QUEEN'S WORK. THE PALACE'S NEW GARDEN CAFE PROVED TO BE AN EQUAL DRAW. OVER THE EIGHT WEEKS OF THE SUMMER OPENING, IT SERVED 46,000 CUPS OF TEA; PROFITEROLES AND VANILLA MILLE FEUILLE WERE AMONG VISITORS' FAVORITE TREATS. FURTHERMORE, OWING TO POPULAR DEMAND, THE HIGHLY ACCLAIMED VICTORIA & ALBERT: ART & LOVE EXHIBITION AT THE QUEEN'S GALLERY, BUCKINGHAM PALACE HAS NOW BEEN EXTENDED UNTIL 5.DECEMBER.2010. IT BRINGS TOGETHER OVER 400 WORKS OF ART COLLECTED BY THE ROYAL COUPLE, MANY EXCHANGED AS GIFTS TO MARK SPECIAL OCCASIONS. THANKS TO THE EXHIBITION, ATTENDANCE AT THE QUEEN'S GALLERY HAS RISEN BY 19% THIS YEAR, INCLUDING A RECORDED NUMBER OF FIRST-TIME VISITORS.

BONHAMS TO SELL RARE JAPANESE DRAGON

AN UNPRECEDENTED, EXTRAORDINARY, FULLY ARTICULATED IRON DRAGON IS THE HIGHLIGHT OF THE BONHAMS FINE JAPANESE ART SALE TAKING PLACE OF 11.NOVEMBER AT NEW BOND STREET. THE 133cm LONG CREATION IS ESTIMATED TO SELL FOR £120,000 – 130,000. THE DRAGON IS A STUNNING EXAMPLE OF JIZAI OKIMONO, NATURALISTIC, FULLY ARTICULATED IRON ANIMAL FIGURES, WHOSE BODIES AND LIMBS CAN BE MOVED REPLICATING THEIR COUNTERPARTS IN REAL LIFE. THE EXTRAORDINARY DRAGON OFFERED BY BONHAMS HAS A LONG SERPENTINE AND UNDULATING BODY, FORGED WITH NUMEROUS SCALES THAT HAVE BEEN JOINED INSIDE THE BODY. THE HEAD, MOUTH, CLAWS AND EARS ARE EACH CONSTRUCTED OF MOVING PARTS AND THE LEG JOINTS CAN TURN 180 DEGREES. ALTHOUGH LITTLE IS KNOWN ABOUT THE ORIGIN AND DEVELOPNMENT OF JIZAI OKIMONO AS WORKS OF ART, THE DRAGON WAS CREATED IN THE EDO PERIOD BY THE MYOCHIN SCHOOL. HISTORICALLY, MEMBERS OF THE MYOCHIN FAMILY WERE SUPREME ARMOR MAKERS AND FAMOUS FOR THEIR EXCELLENT IRON FORGING AND HAMMER WORK. HOWEVER, DURING THE PROTRACTED LONG LONG PEACEFUL EDO PERIOD THERE WAS LESS DEMAND FOR THE MANUFACTURE OF ARMOR AND THE FAMILY USED THEIR CRAFTSMANSHIP AND EXPERTISE TO CREATE OTHER OBJECTS, INCLUDING JIZAI OKIMONO. FOLLOWING THE GOVERNMENT'S POLICY OF PROMOTING INDUSTRY AND EXPORTING DECORATIVE ART, MANY JIZAI OKIMONO FOUND THEIR WAY TO THE WEST AND HAVE BEEN OF FASCINATION EVER SINCE. THE DRAGON OFFERED FOR SALE BY BONHAMS IS ONE OF ONLY THREE KNOWN TO EXIST THAT ARE SIMILAR IN SIZE AND WORKMANSHIP, AND IS AN OUTSTANDING EXAMPLE THAT DEMONSTRATES THE ENVIABLE STANDARD OF FORGED IRON WORK AT THE TIME.

DANNY ELFMAN & TIM BURTN 25th ANNIVERSARY MUSIC BOX

DECEMBER MARKS 25 YEARS OF COLLABORATION BETWEEN MUSIC COMPOSER DANNY ELFMAN AND FILM DIRECTOR TIM BURTON. THE TWO FIRST WORKED TOGETHER ON BURTON'S MOVIE PEE WEE'S BIG ADVENTURE IN 1985 AND WERE FAST FRIENDS FROM THEN ON, WITH ELFMAN COMPOSING THE MUSIC FOR ALL BUT TWO OF BURTON'S PROJECTS SINCE THEN. AMONG ELFMAN'S MOST FAMOUS WORKS ARE THE SCORES TO BEETLEJUICE, EDWARD SCISSORHANDS, BATMAN, BATMAN RETURNS, THE NIGHTMARE BEFORE CHRISTMAS, SLEEPY HOLLOW AND ALICE IN WONDERLAND. IN CELEBRATION OF THE ICONIC FRIENDSHIP WARNER BROS IS RELEASING A 25th ANNIVERSARY MUSIC BOX THAT CONTAINS MORE THAN 19 HOURS OF MUSIC INCLUDING FAN-REQUESTED EXPANSIONS OF FAMOUS SOUNDTRACKS AND PREVIOUSLY UNRELEASED MUSIC. THE PACKAGE ALSO INCLUDES CD ART BY BURTON, A USB FLASH DRIVE WITH MP3s OF ALL THE SONGS, AND A DVD FEATURING AN EXCLUSIVE CONVERSATION BETWEEN BURTON AND ELFMAN. THE MUSIC BOX WILL BE RELEASED THIS DECEMBER IN A LIMITED EDITION OF 100 WITH AN ESTIMATED PRICE OF $499.99

MEADOWS MUSEUM TO PRESENT 'THE LOST MANUSCRIPTS FROM THE SISTINE CHAPEL'

ON 23.JANUARY.2011, THE ONLY REMAINING SET OF CODICES FROM THE SACRISTY OF THE SISTINE CHAPEL WILL BE ON DISPLAY AT THE MEADOWS MUSEUM AS PART OF THE EXHIBITION 'THE LOST MANUSCRIPTS FROM THE SISTINE CHAPEL: AN EPIC JOURNEY FROM ROME TO TOLEDO. FEATURING 40 CODICES THAT RANGE IN DATE FROM THE 11th TO THE 18th CENTURY, THE COLLECTION REPRESENTS SOME OF THE FINEST ILLUMINATIONS EVER DISCOVERED, AND FOLLOWS THE TRAJECTORY OF AN EXCITING AND SIGNIFICANT TIME AT THE VATICAN AND SISTINE CHAPEL. THE CODICES WERE LOOTED FROM THE VATICAN BY NAPOLEON'S ARMIES AND THEN RESCUED BY THE DYNAMIC ARCHBISHOP OF TOLEDO, CARDINAL FRANCESCO ANTONIO JOSE DE LORENZANA Y BUITRON, WHO GAVE THEM ALL TO THE BIBLIOTECA CAPITULAR DE TOLEDO FOR SAFEKEEPING. FOR 200 YEARS THE CODICES ALL BUT DISAPPEARED FROM HISTORY, UNTIL THE LATE 1990s WHEN THE ITALIAN SCHOLAR DR ELENA DE LAURENTIIS SAW A PHOTOGRAPH OF THE CODICES WITH THE BARBERINI SEAL AND TRACED THEIR LOCATION TO THE CATHEDRAL IN TOLEDO. SINCE THEIR DISCOVERY SCHOLARS HAVE BEEN CATALOGING AND STUDYING THE MANUSCRIPTS, PIECING TOGETHER ONE OF THE MOST VALUABLE COLLECTIONS OF LITURGICAL MANUSCRIPTS IN THE WORLD. THE OPENING OF THE LOST MANUSCRIPTS FROM THE SISTINE CHAPEL AT THE MEADOWS MUSEUM REPRESENTS THE FIRST TIME THAT THE ANCIENT MANUSCRIPTS WILL BE ON DISPLAY IN THE US. THE EXHIBITION WILL FEATURE A BROAD RANGE OF LITURGICAL WRITINGS USED BY THE CATHOLIC CHURCH, INCLUDING BENEDICTIONALS, BLESSINGS, BREVIARIES, EPISTOLARIES, EVANGELISTARIES, MISSALS AND PREPARATIONS FOR MASS. THOUGH THE MANUSCRIPTS WERE UNDISCOVERED FOR YEARS, THE ILLUSTRATIONS REMAIN IN PRISTINE CONDITION, AND DEMONSTRATE SOME OF THE BEST PRESERVED EXAMPLES OF THE COMPLEX DECORATIVE SCHEMES EXECUTED AND INFLUENCED BY MASTER ILLUMINATORS OF THE PAPAL SCRIPTORIUM, SUCH AS THE FRENCH ILLUMINATOR VINCENT RAYMOND AND THE ITALIAN ILLUMINATOR APOLLONIO DE' BONFRATELLI. NOTABLE AMONG THE REDISCOVERED MANUSCRIPTS IS THE 'MISSAL WITH CHRISTMAS MASS OF CARDINAL ANTONIOTTO PALLAVICINI', WHICH DATES TO BETWEEN 1503 AND 1509, AND IS REGARDED AS ONE OF THE RICHEST AND MOST EXQUISITE CODICES FROM THE SISTINE SACRISTY COLLECTION.

RM AUCTION S TO SELL CLASSIC 'MUSCLE' CARS FROM THE ROBSON COLLECTION

ONE OF THE WORLD'S PREMIER MUSCLE CAR COLLECTIONS WILL CROSS THE AUCTION BLOCK IN GEORGIA NEXT MONTH AS RM AUCTIONS PRESENTS THE MILTON ROBSON COLLECTION, A SINGLE-VENDOR SALE TO BE HELD IN GAINSVILLE, GEORGIA, 13.NOVEMBER. THE RESULT OF OVER 25 YEARS OF CAREFUL ACQUISITION BY LIFELONG 'CAR GUY' MILTON ROBSON, THE ROBSON COLLECTION FEATURES A REMARKABLE SERIES OF LOW-PRODUCTION AND ULTRA-HIGH SPECIFICATION DETROIT MUSCLE CARS, ALONG WITH A SERIES OF ICONIC FIFTIES AND SIXTIES CLASSICS, AND A SUPERB SELECTION OF HENRY FORD'S ORIGINAL FLATBED V8s. A TOTAL OF 55 VEHICLES FROM THE COLLECTION, ALONG WITH A RANGE OF MEMORABILIA WILL BE OFFERED 'WITHOUT RESERVE'. 'RM IS HONORED TO HAVE BEEN ENTRUSTED WITH THE PRESENTATION OF THE MILTON ROBSON COLLECTION', SAID IAN KELLEHER, RM AUCTIONS. 'MILT ROBSON IS A PASSIONATE CAR GUY WITH AN INCREDIBLE EYE FOR QUALITY. HIS COLLECTION IS KNOWN ACROSS THE COUNTRY BY LIKE-MINDED COLLECTORS AND ENTHUSIASTS AS IT REPRESENTS ONE OF THE MOST DIVERSE CROSS SECTIONS OF THE FINEST AND MOST DESIRABLE AMERICAN AUTOMOBILES PRODUCED.' THE HIGHLIGHT ATTRACTION FOR THE AUCTION IS A TRIO OF PONTIACS GTO JUDGE CONVERTIBLES, INCLUDING A STARLIGHT BLACK '69 JUDGE, ONE OF THE MOST RARE AND DESIRABLE PONTIAC IN EXISTENCE WITH AN ESTIMATE PRE-SALE OF $750,000 - $1,000,000. IT LEADS A CHARGE OF 12 PONTIAC INCLUDED IN THE SALE. ALSO ON OFFER, AN ALL-ORIGINAL 1969 CHEVROLET CAMARO YENKO/SC SPORT COUPE, ONE OF THE MOST VAUNTED VEHICLES OF THE MUSCLE CAR ERA. ADDITIONAL SALE HIGHLIGHTS INCLUDE: A STUNNING, ONE OF A KIND 1953 CADILLAC ELDORADO SUPERCHARGED CONVERTIBLE, ESTIMATED AT $450,000 TO $650,000; A 1960 CHRYSLER 300F FOUR-SPEED CONVERTIBLE, THE ONLY FACTORY FOUR-SPEED, 400hp CONVERTIBLE IN EXISTENCE AND ONE OF THE MOST DESIRABLE LETTER CARS OF ALL TIME, ESTIMATED TO SELL FOR $350,000; AND, A TOP OF THE LINE, BEAUTIFULLY-RESTORED 1957 DESOTO ADVENTURER CONVERTIBLE, ESTIMATED AT $350,000.

NEW BOOK FROM THE ROYAL COLLECTION HIGHLIGHTS THE QUEEN'S DOLLS' HOUSE

THE QUEEN'S DOLLS' HOUSE AT WINDSOR CASTLE IS THE LARGEST, MOST BEAUTIFUL AND MOST FAMOUS DOLLS' HOUSE IN THE WORLD. IN A CHARMING NEW PUBLICATION, THE WELL-KNOWN BROADCASTER AND ARCHITECTURAL HISTORIAN LUCINDA LAMBTON GUIDES THE READER ON AN IMAGINATIVE TOUR OF THE MOST MAGICAL OF RESIDENCES, A PERFECT REPLICA IN MINIATURE OF AN ARISTOCRATIC HOME. BUILT FOR QUEEN MARY BY THE LEADING BRITISH ARCHITECT SIR EDWIN LUTYENS BETWEEN 1921 AND 1924, IT INCLUDES CONTRIBUTIONS FROM OVER 1,500 OF THE FINEST ARTISTS, CRAFTSMEN AND MANUFACTURERS OF THE EARLY 20th CENTURY. FROM THE LIFE BELOW STAIRS TO THE HIGH-SOCIETY SETTING OF THE SALOON AND DINING ROOM, A LIBRARY BURSTING WITH ORIGINAL WORKS BY THE TOP LITERARY NAMES OF THE DAY, A FULLY STOCKED WINE CELLAR AND A GARDEN CREATED BY GERTRUDE JEKYLL, RUNNING HOT AND COLD WATER AND WORKING LIFTS. THE IDEA FOR A DOLLS' HOUSE CAME FROM PRINCESS MARIE LOUISE, QUEEN VICTORIA'S GRANDDAUGHTER, AS A GIFT TO QUEEN MARY IN ACKNOWLEDGMENT OF HER STEADFAST PRESENCE THROUGHOUT THE FIRST WORLD WAR. IT QUICKLY ASSUMED A NATIONAL IMPORTANCE AS A FLAGSHIP ENDEAVOR FOR BRITISH INNOVATION AND AS A SYMBOL OF BRITAIN'S POST-WAR RENEWAL. LUTYENS' VISION WAS TO CAPTURE LIFE IN A ROYAL RESIDENCE IN ALL ITS DETAIL, DESIGNING THE HOUSE TO THE IMPERIAL SCALE OF ONE INCH TO ONE FOOT, IT IS 1.52 METRES HIGH, 2.59 METRES DEEP AND WEIGHS 4.5 TONS. LEADING MANUFACTURERS, INDUSTRIALISTS AND ARTISTS, MANY STILL HOUSEHOLD NAMES TODAY, WERE EAGER TO BE ASSOCIATED WITH THE UNIQUE PROJECT. TO COMPLETE LUTYENS' IMPRESSIVE WINE CELLAR, BERRY BROS OF ST JAMES, LONDON, CONTRIBUTED OVER 1,200 THIMBLEFULS OF THE FINEST CHAMPAGNES, WINES, SPIRITS AND BEERS TO FILL EACH TINY BOTTLE. SOME 200 AUTHORS, INCLUDING RUDYARD KIPLING, THOMAS HARDY AND AA MILNE, PRODUCED ORIGINAL HAND-WRITTEN WORKS FOR THE LIBRARY, SIR ARTHUR DOYLE CREATED A SHERLOCK HOLMES STORY, 'HOW WATSON LEARNED THE TRICK', ESPECIALLY FOR THE DOLLS' HOUSE. ROYAL GUN MAKERS, JAMES PURDEY & SONS, DONATED WORKING REPLICAS OF KING GEORGE V's GUNS, COMPLETE WITH LEATHER CASE AND MAGAZINE OF 100 TINY CARTRIDGES. IN THE GARAGE A DAIMLER LIMOUSINE, ROLLS ROYCE AND A 1923 SILVER GHOST SEVEN-SEATER LIMOUSINE LANDAULET BOAST THE SUPREMACY OF BRITISH MOTOR MANUFACTURING IN THE 1920s. THROUGHOUT THE DOLLS' HOUSE THERE ARE REMINDERS THAT IT IS JUST NOT ANY RESIDENCE. IN THE SALON TWO SILVER-GILT THRONES MEASURING AN INCH HIGH SIT SIDE-BY-SIDE; THE DINING ROOM IS DECORATED WITH SILVER WALL SCONES, MINIATURE REPLICAS OF THOSE AT WINDSOR CASTLE; A COLLECTION OF RED AND GREEN LEATHER DISPATCH BOXES, EACH EMBOSSED WITH THE ROYAL CIPHER AND 'THE KING', ADD ROYAL GRAVITAS TO THE LIBRARY. THE DOMESTIC QUARTERS AND THE ROOMS BELOW STAIRS WERE GIVEN AS MUCH ATTENTION AS THE GRAND ROOMS ABOVE. IN THE KITCHEN, 2,500 TINY SECTIONS OF OAK RECREATE A WOOD-BLOCK FLOOR, A COPPER KETTLE MADE OUT OF A KING GEORGE V PENNY, WITH THE KING'S HEAD ON IT BASE, SITS ON THE STOVE, AND THREE IVORY MICE IN A HUMANE MOUSE TRAP ARE FOREVER UNDER THE GAZE OF A CERAMIC CAT. EVERY DETAIL OF DOMESTIC LIFE IS INCLUDED, FROM LAVATORY PAPER, LUX FLAKES AND SUNLIGHT SOAP, TO A TIN OF COLEMAN'S MUSTARD AND A BOTTLE OF LEA AND PERRINS WORCESTERSHIRE SAUCE. IN THE LIVING QUARTERS, CHAMBER POTS CAN BE SEEN UNDER EVERY BED, TROUSER PRESSES AWAIT USE IN THE MEN'S BEDROOMS AND READING MATERIAL IS ON HAND FOR THE SERVANTS. IN A LETTER OF THANKS TO ALL THOSE INVOLVED, QUEEN MARY DESCRIBED THE DOLLS' HOUSE AS 'THE MOST PERFECT PRESENT THAT ANYONE COULD RECEIVE'. THE LETTER IS REPRODUCED IN THE BOOK ALONGSIDE CORRESPONDENCE FROM THE ROYAL ARCHIVES BETWEEN THE QUEEN AND LUTYENS, AND CONTRIBUTING ARTISTS AND MANUFACTURERS. IN 1924 THE DOLLS' HOUSE WENT ON DISPLAY AT WEMBLY PARK AS PART OF THE BRITISH EMPIRE EXHIBITION OF ARTS AND MANUFACTURING, WHERE IT WAS VIEWED BY 1,617,556 PEOPLE. FOR THE FIRST TIME THE PUBLIC WERE ABLE TO SEE INTO THE HEART OF THE ROYAL HOUSEHOLD, GAINING AN UNPARALLELED VIEW OF THE INTIMATE ASPECTS OF FAMILY LIFE AND BRINGING THEM CLOSER TO THE ROYAL FAMILY THAN EVER BEFORE. THE FOLLOWING YEAR THE DOLLS' HOUSE WAS PUT ON PERMANENT DISPLAY AT WINDSOR CASTLE, IN A ROOM SPECIALLY DESIGNED BY LUTYENS, WHERE IT REMAINS TO THIS DAY.