World’s first film ad sells for £160,000
THE world’s first film poster has sold at auction for £160,000.
It advertised an 1895 showing in the basement of the Grand Cafe in Paris of 20 minutes of shorts by the Lumiere brothers.
Sotheby’s in London gave the poster a £40,000 estimate and was stunned at the sum reached.
It said: “This is the ultimate collector’s poster.
“It marked the beginning of one of the most important cultural phenomena of the 20th century.”
The 58in by 30in design was by artist Henri Brispot but it attracted just 30 people to the screening.
It depicts the upperclasses socialising.
Sotheby’s previous best for a film poster was £42,000 last year, an advert for 1933 classic King Kong.