"Dawn" collection appraisal?

[Doc Foster]

I wonder if anybody out there could help me with putting an approximate current value on my collection of "Dawn" memorabilia. Condition of the individual items ranges from good to near mint. Here's the list - any and all input would be much appreciated:

- Complete set of 18 German lobby cards (near mint/unused) in original first-edition white outer envelope
- German theatrical poster, style A (“clawed ghoul” artwork, alternate logo and unique blurb)
- German theatrical poster, style B (standard design: “baldhead” logo and small color picture of main characters at bottom)
- German theatrical poster, style C (A0, zombie crowd led by nurse zombie, no credits)
- German “press”/hype poster (press review excerpts on black background with red “Zombie” logo)
- German press book (42 pages, black cover with red “Zombie” logo)
- German press information + 4 glossy b/w stills (with text sheets on back) in original “Neue Constantin Film” logo outer envelope
- German promo slide for onscreen projection in movie theatres, with original outer envelope
- German “Werberatschlag” (4-page promo folder + inserts)
- Austrian “Neues Filmprogramm” 4-page movie program (sold in theaters)
- German novelization paperback (“Filmbuch mit Fotos” series, published by Goldmann Verlag); unread/near mint
- German Goldmann mini promo poster for above novelization paperback
- German Polydor soundtrack cassette
- Complete set of three German Super-8 (8 mm) film reels (UFA/Büscher Film) in original boxes
- Original banned German “marketing film” VHS video in cardboard slipcase (ex-rental copy)
- Original banned German “marketing film” VHS video in cardboard slipcase (commercial release)
- Original banned German “marketing film” VCC/Video 2000 video in clamshell box
- Original 1978 U.S. film crew t-shirt formerly owned by Joe Shelby (housing project rooftop rebel/mall biker)
- Unread/near mint first-edition U.S. soft cover novelization (St. Martin’s Press, 1978)
- Official U.S. poster book (MW Communications, 1978; NOT signed by Tom Savini!)
- Sealed/mint U.S. SPI board game
- First-edition U.K. soft cover novelization (Sphere Books, 1979)
- Original U.K. VHS video (first Alpha Video/Intervision release [“Zombies – Dawn of the Dead”], 1981) in clamshell case
- Original French poster, style A, “petite” (40 x 60 cm) (color drawing of zombie crowd)
- Original French poster, style B, “petite” (40 x 60 cm) (b/w pic of “machete zombie “on yellow background)
- French Polydor soundtrack LP
- Japanese “L’Alba Dei Morti Viventi” / “Zombi” Seven Seas white label promo 7” single with picture insert, writing on insert front
- Japanese 1-sheet theatrical poster (51 x 73.5 cm), near mint/rolled
- Japanese movie program
- Japanese press folder (4 pages)
- Japanese “chirashi” (25.5 x 12 cm mini-poster/flyer [2-sided])
- Original Japanese VHS video (first Victor release, 1985) in clamshell case
- U.S. 1987 Varese Sarabande soundtrack CD album

[axlish]

I have no clue on most of this but I will chime in where applicable.

- German novelization paperback (“Filmbuch mit Fotos” series, published by Goldmann Verlag) unread/near mint $25-$40

- Complete set of three German Super-8 (8 mm) film reels (UFA/Büscher Film) in original boxes $150-$300 (please sell this to me)

- Original 1978 U.S. film crew t-shirt formerly owned by Joe Shelby (housing project rooftop rebel/mall biker) I'd say roughly $80, because you can tell a story with it. I see these go from $30-$80 but I think having the origin story will up the value. I'd love to buy this off of you as well.

- Unread/near mint first-edition U.S. soft cover novelization (St. Martin’s Press, 1978) $16-$30

- Official U.S. poster book (MW Communications, 1978; NOT signed by Tom Savini!) $20-$40

- Sealed/mint U.S. SPI board game $80+

- First-edition U.K. soft cover novelization (Sphere Books, 1979) not sure but I'd love to buy it

- Original U.K. VHS video (first Alpha Video/Intervision release [“Zombies – Dawn of the Dead”], 1981) in clamshell case $20-$30

- Japanese “chirashi” (25.5 x 12 cm mini-poster/flyer [2-sided]) $25

- Original Japanese VHS video (first Victor release, 1985) in clamshell case $25-$40

- U.S. 1987 Varese Sarabande soundtrack CD album $10-$20

PM me if you are looking to get rid of any of this! :)

[Doc Foster]

Thank you for your estimates, axlish. Not to doubt your expertise (I know you're a major and very knowledgable collector), but are you really sure about the value for the Varese Sarabande CD? I think you may have forgotten a zero at the end... ;)

Regarding the crew shirt, I don't have any actual provenance that confirms it as having been in Joe Shelby's possession before. However, I bought this item (and many others that are on my list) from a major former Romero collector in Germany who at the time had good connections to some of the old "Dawn" crew, including Joe, apparently. In all our years of "doing business", he never let me down once, so I have always trusted his word on the shirt's origin.

I actually did consider selling off my collection recently, but eventually had second thoughts about it - so, sorry, not at this point. However, axlish, should I change my mind, you'll certainly be the first person I'm going to contact.

Thanks again!

[Doc]

- Complete set of 18 German lobby cards (near mint/unused) in original first-edition white outer envelope


What exactly are "lobby" cards?

[Doc Foster]

What exactly are "lobby" cards?

Lobby cards are stills from the film to be displayed in the movie theater's lobby or front-of-house. Like this one:

http://img96.imageshack.us/img96/8830/fozombie018.jpg