Sci-Fi Collectables

July 23, 2008

Science Fiction or Sci-Fi is a hugely popular genre that never fails to capture our imaginations and is one of the only genres that is capable of totally reinventing itself as technology and viewing audiences change. Yet it is also a classic example of how popular television and movies from older generations are still just a popular today as they were in their hey day.

 

The reason for this popularity stems from the fact that many of the characters from the classic Sci-Fi series of the 1960’s, such as Doctor Who and Star Trek, have become much more than television characters and instead become cultural icons. Sci-Fi movie memorabilia and other Sci-Fi collectables are now hugely desirable and popular with enthusiasts of the Science Fiction genre.

 

The BBC recently reported on the sale of various pop and movie memorabilia items at auction leaders Bonham’s where one of the most expensive and popular items on sale was the hydraulic Alien model featured in the 1979 film ‘Alien’.

 

The piece which made movie goers jump out of their skins when it burst out of actor John Hurt’s chest in the movie was eventually sold for £29,875 indicating just how treasured and collectable Sci-Fi memorabilia can be.

 

Another indicator of the popularity of the genre is the staggering number of viewers who tuned into the season finale of Doctor Who. According to The Telegraph Online over 9.8 million viewers watched the show in anticipation of a new Doctors arrival and the return of the world famous ‘baddies’ the Daleks.

 

Over the years we have seen many science fiction books, comics and movies bring to life beings and creatures that defy believe and many of these characters have been captured in items of movie memorabilia designed for the mass market as well as genuine pieces of movie history such as the Alien hydraulic mentioned above.

 

Online auction sites have enabled Science Fiction fans to share their love of all things Sci-Fi as well as source new and exciting collectables. With fancy dress costumes, collectable film posters and a full range of Sci-Fi fiction up for grabs your favourite Science Fiction characters are no longer in a galaxy far away!


What are Lobby Cards? And What Makes Them So Collectable?

June 26, 2008

Lobby cards are smaller variations of film posters that captured scenes or shots of particular movies that were then displayed in the lobby or reception areas of cinemas. With movie memorabilia of all kinds being highly sought after, lobby cards are some of the most popular movie collectables due to their rarity.

 

Lobby cards are very seldom used today which makes the lobby cards that are still in circulation highly desirable and collectable. Like other movie collectables, lobby cards are an important part of film culture and history and are usually around 11”x 14” in size, lobby cards were once common features in cinemas and movie theatres and were used as a form of advertising to attract filmgoers.

 

Often produced in sets ranging from 8 to 16 lobby cards are a now a highly collectable form of movie memorabilia. Lobby cards were first introduced in American theatres around 1910 and were originally printed in black and white until the 1920’s when full colour lobby cards were introduced.

 

As well as being rare on reason why lobby cards are highly collectable is the images and graphics used on the cards often depicted key or iconic scenes from a particular movie making them a little piece of cinema history.

 

Of particular interest to movie memorabilia collectors are cards containing images of the main or star actors and actresses or cards that represent particularly famous and iconic films. In most cases the first lobby card of a set will contain the title of the movie and is more commonly known as the ‘title card’ with all other cards in the set being the ‘scene cards’

 

In some cases where lobby card sets are incomplete movie memorabilia auction sites enable collectors to source missing cards, although complete sets are worth far more money to sellers.


Movie Memorabilia That Never Gets Old!

June 12, 2008

With this summer seeing the release of a series of classic action sequels including Indiana Jones and the latest Batman chapter, interest in movie memorabilia relating to the old and much loved prequels is likely to increase.

 

Lasts year’s blockbuster ‘Transformers’ brought with it a revival of all things robotic, with a huge number of toys, computer games, movie posters and other promotional materials being rushed onto the consumer market to promote the new movie.

 

This in turn led to a significant increase in older toys and figures produced when the cartoon was originally broadcast to the public. Movie memorabilia connected to the new movie were also in high demand, especially online.

 

As new movies bring back fond memories of their predecessors it might be worth having a look for that old poster or action figure you bought with your pocket money years ago, as it might just be valuable.

 

Movie memorabilia collections can start out of nothing. You may simply have inherited an old action figure from your parents or siblings or want to keep a part of a movie for yourselves.

 

Whatever reasons someone may have to start a collection an item you think is worth nothing might just be the last piece they need to complete their collection so movie collectables are definitely worth hanging on too until the time is right to sell.

 

Even celebrities like Harrison Ford, star of Indiana Jones was spotted by journalists clutching a collection of the latest toys connected with the Indiana Jones movies!


What Makes A Rare Film Poster Rare?

June 5, 2008

Rare film posters can fetch millions of pounds when sold at auction but what exactly makes a rare film poster rare? And who determines how much it is worth?

 

In answer to the first question, a rare film poster can be defined as any movie poster that is unusual or unique in some way. For example, the poster for an old 1940’s movie may have been printed with an image that was considered too explicit for public viewing at the time and so was changed at the last minute.

 

Another example of what makes a rare film poster unique is when film makers decide to change the name of a movie at the last minute. This happened in 1983 when the makers of the box office classic Star Wars films changed the name of the now infamous ‘Return of the Jedi’.

 

The original film was actually called ‘Revenge of the Jedi’ and was only replaced at the last minute after a small number of theatrical trailers and promotional posters were made. The limited edition promotional posters containing the original title are now considered highly collectable and are worth a great deal too avid Star Wars fans.

 

In relation to how much rare film posters are worth the answer lies in exactly how much someone is willing to pay. Some extremely rare pieces are sold on behalf of a charity so are likely to be sold for much larger sums of money. The price of movie memorabilia such as posters also depends upon how popular the particular movie in question was or is.

 

If like in the case of Star Wars, the films are hugely successful and generation spanning classics that feature in everyone’s DVD collections then the demand for rare items associated with the movies will be high thus pushing the price of Star Wars related movie memorabilia up.


Superb Collection of Movie Memorabilia Online

April 30, 2008

Calling movie enthusiasts everywhere! CQout.com is the second largest online auction store for movie memorabilia in the UK. If you are a movie collector or are looking for a poster and other memorabilia from a particular movie then CQout.com is the place to go.

 

The online store is simple to use and even provides an instant buy service for those who do not want to wait for the auction to finish. The huge collection of movies and movie memorabilia includes posters, DVD’s, Props, lobby cards and even a selection of film cells.

 

Whether you are looking for a marketplace to sell your movie collection or somewhere to buy movie memorabilia from, CQout.com can help you both make and save money.


Great Collection of Vinyl Records

April 16, 2008

Despite the changing trends and technological advancements of music and the way we choose to listen to music tracks, vinyl records remain one of the most collectable forms of music memorabilia. Vinyl record enthusiasts will spend huge amounts of money for one-off and limited edition copies of their favourite vinyl records and the introduction of auction sites online has made finding these records much easier. One online marketplace that boasts an awesome collection of vinyl records is CQout.com. Selling everything from cars and jewellery to antiques and movie memorabilia CQout is now the UK’s second largest online marketplace in the UK.


Great Movie Memorabilia

April 16, 2008

If you are mad about movies then CQout.com is a website to remember. The site boasts an amazing collection of movie memorabilia that is a delight for all movie lovers worldwide. With rare 8mm and 16mm films, to amazing posters and lobby cards, there is nothing you cannot find on this site. For the hard core movie enthusiast, there are books, posters, films, stills, photographs and much more.

 

Even drama enthusiasts can find something on this amazing website, with a large collection of movie and theatre props also available which can prove essential if you are staging a play or production and need to be confident that you are getting the right feel. Ordering through CQout.com could not be easier as the online transaction service is reliable and the quality of merchandise is assured. So to browse a huge collection of movie memorabilia visit CQout.com now.


Rare Film Posters

April 2, 2008

Traditionally, posters have been used for advertising both products and things that are going on such as films or plays. With the advent of the lithograph they became mass produced and therefore a worldwide phenomenon that are still used today. Many posters now have gained iconic status and therefore have become extremely collectable.

This is especially the case with film and movie posters. These are increasingly being seen as a viable form of expression with people displaying them on their walls as art. Homes across the world are adorned with images of a favourite movie or perhaps a famous advertising campaign. People are now collecting rare film posters both for enjoyment and as a possible investment.

With the area of movie memorabilia and posters being so diverse, it is easy to start a fledgling collection. Whether they are from movies or advertising and famous announcements, the world of collectable posters can be an exciting place to step into especially if you have the added thrill of bidding in an online auction. For the perfect setting and opportunity to browse many different types of posters to help kick-start your collection cqout.com is the online auction place to visit.