6 replies to this topic

[Simon]

Following on from someone's post about the top 3 vintage posters within their collection, I was wondering if there was anyone else who collected the Lobby card sets.

While the prices from galleries for these very early vintage sets can get a little excessive, the majority of the remaining sets from later on in the series are still affordable. I personally own 31 sets from the series, made up as follows;

Every film represented = 20
AVTAK had a set produced by both the US and the UK = +1
Casino Royale = 1
NSNA = 1
There were five double feature sets from four features, Dr No/Gf had a set produced in both colour and B/W = 5
Of the Viva James Bond series, I have 3
And one set from the MGM 80's re-release = 1

All mint. Currently looking for whatever remains of Viva and MGM series.

Of the above, my favourite is the Dr No set. Each card has a large image set to the right and a simple working of the poster graphic to the left with the title etc. The cards are simple, well laid out and display the curious 60's need to tint everything to a colour different from what it was in the film. To wit, Bond's trousers in Jamaica in the film were blue, they were tinted red for the cards. Don't ask me why.

Compare this set with the set for TWINE which had a 10x8 image, full cast and crew credits, full working of the poster graphic plus title, making the result looked grotesquely crowded. They reverted to a simple and beautiful design for the DAD set. Well done the US design crew.

As for anomolies, while most sets came as a set of 8 colour stills,
FRWL were B/W with a mild tint of red,
OHMSS had cards with images from behind the scenes - one card had a crew member brushing lint from an actor's costume!!,
GE had a title card, this being a card with a UK Quad version of the poster design, making in effect a set of 9,
TWINE came as a set of 12,
DAD came as a set of 10.

The Viva series came as sets of red tinted cards with a specific Viva festival graphic - I have no idea which films were covered for this series.

The MGM series was a real mish mash of ideas - again I have no idea which films were covered but the sets(!) came as all sorts of different numbers, Spy was a set of 7, other films came as a set of 2! None of the cards were numbered so it is a lottery as to what you may be collecting.

The cards up to Oct were produced solely by the US. Upon AVTAK's arrival, they were produced by both the US and UK. From TLD, they were produced by the UK until DAD, which was produced by the US again. I have no idea why the honours went from country to country.

With most forms of advertising going electronic, the future for the existence and need of Lobbies is uncertain. FOH stills, pressbooks, synopsis have all been made redundant; presskits will be the next to go. There was a belief that there wasn't going to be a set for DAD. I wouldn't be at all surprised if there isn't a set for Bond 21 as the last set I actually saw in a cinema advertising anything was for Octopussy.

With the posters far out of reach of my wallet - I would need a mortgage - this side of the collecting arena still remains my favourite. Sadly, the remaining Viva and MGM sets are just so scarce, not because of their value but because I'm sure so many fewer sets were produced. I'm not at all sure I will get the rest....

Unless any of you have any sets you wish to part with or any contacts with the same.

Cheers.

[Simon]

Originally posted by Simon
Following on from someone's post about the top 3 vintage posters within their collection, I was wondering if there was anyone else who collected the Lobby card sets.

Evidently not then.

Totally misjudged that one.

Oh well, next up, a poll on Bond's top ten shoe wear.

[Bon-san]

I collect bond lobbies, Simon! I love them, except for their outrageous expense. Like you, I've always liked the Dr. No set. I also like the Goldfinger set. But I think the Thunderball set is the best (the red backdrop is a good contrast).

Maybe I'm funny, but I really dug the 70's sets. There was some uniformity to the production design, and some cool images. I have to say they blew it with the Diamonds set, though. It's as if they picked the worst images they could find!

The DAD set looks awesome. I don't have it yet, but its on my wish list. I agree about the TWINE set--too "busy"! A shame.

Supposedly, collectors favor the YOLT set as their favorite. Again, this set is a little "busy" and the photo images are relatively poor selections.

Finally, there are some awesome foreign sets that I've seen with lots of alternative artwork and photography. The Italian Robustas are all excellent. And there are some very nice French sets (TSWLM, Thunderball, OHMSS).

My top three 007 lobby sets:

1. Thunderball
2. Dr. No
3. Goldfinger

[Turn]

I have the FYEO large size and Octopussy smaller size lobby sets. And a foreign release of GE, which was actually in a sheet that was perforated and they pull apart. Don't know if those really count, though.

I also have a smaller size card of a scene from DAF.

[Simon]

Hey fellas, I'd almost given this thread (or should it be a termed a tassle?) up for dead. Glad to see other collectors out there.

Bon-san, the DAD set is gorgeous, very class, very top end and very glossy. I see most cards going as singles now as opposed to being sold as a set. This is the policy of most galleries and is a real pain, even for the recent sets, as the total price for a set of eight can really mount up.

I have recently found out that the Viva series totalled five films, Dr No to YOLT. Although the series came out in '70 or '71, OHMSS and DAF didn't make it. So I guess by that reasoning, I am looking for three sets.

I have resolved to just picking up singles of the MGM re-release series as there is no information or knowledge on what happened there.

Cheers.

[Simon]

Bon-san, if you still don't have the DAD set, Movie Market are selling it for

[Simon]

While some may accuse me of flogging a dead horse with this thread, for reasons of completism, I feel compelled to continue!!

I have completed the Viva series of cards excepting Viva Goldfinger, card 7! Should anyone know of its whereabouts for purchase, I would appreciate a heads up.

By chance I find myself with a spare set of Dr No Vivas should anyone be interested in buying these from me - I would be looking for roughly