DALLAS, TX.- The market in rare and vintage movie posters showed steady strength in Heritage Auctions' $1.3+ million Signature(r) Movie Poster Auction on July 16 in Dallas, with an insert poster to Universal's 1935 horror classic Werewolf of London leading the pack with a $47,800 final price realized. All prices quoted include 19.5% Buyer's Premium. "Results were solid across the board," said Grey Smith, Director of Movie Posters at Heritage. "We offered quality and depth across all genres, which is what collectors want. That translated into good strong bids and spirited competition."

More than 1,220 bidders competed in the auction for 1,296 lots, translating into a 91% sell-through rate by total value.

While early horror reigns supreme in movie poster collecting circles, the market in classic Film Noir posters has been enjoying continued popularity among collectors, as evidenced by the $20,315 price realized for a one sheet to Paramount's 1942 Veronica Lake and Alan Ladd Noir classic This Gun For Hire, making it the number two lot in the entire auction.

One of the most anticipated lots of the auction was a 1939 three sheet poster to Columbia's Only Angels Have Wings, which rose amongst competitive bidding to finish at $17,925, nearly triple its pre-auction estimate of $6,000+. "The posters for this classic have always been scarce and much sought after," said Smith. "We've only sold an insert and a few window cards to this title in 10 years, so it wasn't surprising that collectors were all over this one when it opened."

Lobby cards are always among the most popular offerings in any Heritage movie poster auction, and the July 16 auction boasted a trio of superb lobby cards that had collectors buzzing and bidding. A jumbo lobby card from Fritz Lang's seminal Metropolis (UFA, 1927) led the way with a $17,925 price realized, while a lobby card from The Bride of Frankenstein (Universal, 1935) realized an impressive $13,145 final price and a very early and rare lobby card from The Cabinet of Dr. Caligari (Goldwyn, 1920) well-exceeded pre-auction estimates to finish the day at $13,145.