What a find! A super rare, super unique piece of monster history. The duo of Aurora Plastics and FAMOUS MONSTER OF FILMLAND magazine defined the monster craze of the 1960's and joined forces in 1965 for the Famous Monsters Monster Model Customizing Contest in 1965. This piece of original advertising art was produced by Aurora for model shop owners to display in their windows to promote the event.
This is a grail item for monster collectors and it was sold at auction for over $10K. Below is the description as it appeared in the auction listing. No artist credit is given.
“We Dare You To Enter This Contest!” was the slogan for the Aurora Plastics Corporation’s “Famous Monsters” contest in 1965. Offered is the absolutely stunning original artwork to this classic store display poster, produced to advertise Aurora’s Famous Monsters model kits and contest. The artwork is not just unique; it is the ultimate original artwork that could possibly exist relating to the national craze created by Aurora’s Movie Monster kits in the 1960s. The artwork, on board measuring 12.75 x 22.5 inches, features an all-star lineup of the five most prominent “Famous Monsters.” Included are the Werewolf, The Creature from the Black Lagoon, Dracula, The Mummy, and The Phantom of the Opera. These five “monster superstars” were the big sellers for Aurora. On the original artwork they are holding three blank signs between them. When the poster was published the signs featured text which was dropped in, describing various contest prizes. Printed copies of the sign text have been custom made and professionally placed in the empty spaces of the signs for ideal display. A professionally produced copy of a section of the printed poster (reading “We Dare You To Enter This Contest!”) has been affixed to a mylar overlay, which is ideal for display over the right side of the original art board, which is blank. The artwork of the five Aurora Monsters is painted with extraordinary precision and detail, presenting the monsters exactly as they appear in the Aurora model kits and box art, and as one would expect from an advertising poster from Aurora, designed to promote their lineup of monster model kits. The artwork is executed in gouache on board. It is beautifully framed with an example of the original published advertising poster (24 x 9 inches), which also features a portrait of Frankenstein. The text of the poster lists the sponsors of the contest as Universal Pictures, Famous Monsters of Filmland Magazine, and Aurora Plastics Corp. Entry forms for the contest were packaged inside each Aurora movie monster kit. The original “Famous Monsters” series was a sensation in the mid-1960s. Every kid in America was busy assembling, painting, and displaying these intricate and detailed models. The series was eventually phased out due to declining sales, but for a time, in the 1960s, America’s monster-mania was literally defined by Aurora. The success of the Aurora line and the monster craze was due in large part to the outstanding artwork of the Aurora series. This is the ultimate example of Aurora monster art. This original advertising artwork is also the only Aurora advertising artwork that we know to exist, and is the most substantial display we can imagine relating to this legendary series which will forever have a special place in American Popular Culture. The original artwork and published poster are beautifully matted and framed together, to dimensions of 31.5 x 31.5 inches. The artwork and poster are both in Near Mint condition. Reserve $2,500. Estimate $4,000/$6,000.
Sold for: $10,925.00
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