BACKGROUND INFO:
I am not a 'film enthusiast' and my past working life has revolved around electronics (many fields including communications, industrial and audio) and "The Arts", more specifically, creative arts such as handcrafted fine china, ceramics and landscape artworks.
An associate has asked me to help find new owners for HIS large collection of photographic and film items ... this item is just a bit different!
You see, he liked to "theme" his projection lounge area and had a LOT of original hand painted motion picture posters from way back when and other "bits & pieces" adorning the walls to set the "scene" ... this box is one of the latter props (bits & pieces) that he used. The owner sets the asking prices, not me, and he tells me that this box is unique and extremely difficult to find (it was for him anyway!)
Oh, I just had to ask him ... what about the original theatre posters? Apparently some international associate heard about these posters and TOOK THE LOT! Drat ... I would have loved to see them up close and personal but the posters are now living in USA I am told.
Nice print-on-canvas promoting the classic motion picture, Casablanca, showing the leads Humphrey Bogart & Ingrid Bergman but not forgetting the director, Michael Curtiz (defined by his "misc en scene" dynamic expressive camera approach, revolutionising motion picture visual storytelling).
The graphic artwork on the front is copied onto the rear, there are no differences between the graphics front and rear.
Full details of this "movie prop" are below.
CASABLANCA (The Motion Picture)
Decorative, theme setting memorabilia
Material: full colour print is on CANVAS - not paper.
The box is made from WOOD, not cardboard!
Inner box is lined with a Black felt like material
I remember seeing this in his "special place" (it was like walking back in time when entering the room, very special feeling) on a wall shelf.
The box is EMPTY, the point was to use it as a prop and not to store anything.
NO, unfortunately it will not fit a standard 400" reel (the first thing that came to my mind) but if someone really wanted to place something inside the box, here are the dimensions
EXTERNAL: 290mm height x 203mm width x 52mm thickness
INTERNAL (box area): 260mm vertical x 169mm horizontal x 29mm height
Hinge uses the canvas, no metal hinges
Artwork has been printed onto the canvas, it would have been even nicer if it was hand painted but alas it was not to be. The owner told me that theatres "way back in the day" used to create their own motion picture posters for display at the entrance and often the skill of the artist was quite something to behold. I love the colouring used on this prop!
Weight: 475g
COSMETIC CONDITION:
As you would expect for a "display" item, the condition is really really good ...
CLEAN
Dust and dirt free
NO significant marking to the graphics on any side
NO fading or discolouration of the graphic artwork
Inside the box is clean
NO damage to the outer canvas at all i.e NO tears or joins falling apart!
NO damage to the inner Black box lining
The box is structurally sound, all corners rigid and no "wobbles"
To maintain the current condition of this box, I have now placed it within a sealed clear plastic packaging and it now sits here patiently waiting for another projection lounge to live in!
