Rare prop newspapers from Christopher Reeve Superman films could soar at upcoming auction
Rare prop newspapers produced for the iconic Christopher Reeve Superman films are expected to soar at auction in Lichfield early next year.
Consigned by a collector from Lichfield, the three framed pages go under the hammer with Richard Winterton Auctioneers at The Lichfield Auction Centre on Monday, January 8, starting at 9.30am.
Lot 645 is a front page of the Daily Planet, the Metropolis newspaper where Superman worked in the guise of mild-mannered reporter Clark Kent under irascible editor-in-chief Perry White.
Copies of the newspaper were depicted in the background of several shots in the 1980 sequel Superman II, a direct continuation of the 1978 Superman movie with Christopher Reeve reprising his role as the titular superhero, Margot Kidder returning as Lois Lane, Gene Hackman as Lex Luthor and Terence Stamp as the megalomaniacal General Zod.
Headlined ‘White House Surrenders’, the prop carries a photograph of Stamp in character as the evil Zod and another of E.G. Marshall as the US President announcing surrender.
The columns, however, are filled with various real-life news stories from the time as the font would be too small to be legible onscreen.
The 56cm x 40cm prop would originally have had an October copy of the Windsor, Slough and Eton Express inside to give it the thickness of a real newspaper.
Framed with a red, blue and yellow Superman II mount, the lot comes with a certificate of authenticity from The Prop Store of London and carries an estimate of £800 to £1,000.
Two subsequent lots were likely produced for the original 1978 Superman movie.
Lot 649 is a Daily Planet front page headlined ‘Forget The Super’ and featuring a photograph of Christopher Reeve.
Originally padded out by a copy of the Daily Telegraph inside to give a more realistic appearance, it comes with a certificate of authenticity from Elstree Film Studios and is estimated at £500 to £800.
A fold across the middle and light creases to the top left corner evidence its use as a folded mock-up newspaper.
Lot 650, a ‘Daily News’ prop featuring a graphic mock-up of Superman flying over a building, has the headline ‘Look Ma – No Wires’.
It too comes with a with certificate of authenticity from Elstree Film Studios and is estimated at £200 to £300.
Valuer David Fergus said: “This is a super discovery of three fantastic film props, all with certificates of authenticity, from one of the most iconic superhero movie series.
“They will doubtless be of huge interest to collectors of film memorabilia in general and afficionados of these iconic Superman films in particular.”
The catalogue can be viewed online via richardwinterton.co.uk/auction-dates while viewing in person at The Lichfield Auction Centre takes place between 10am and 4pm on Friday, January 5.
