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On Differentiating Authentic Key Book Stills VS Copy Key Book Stills. W/Photographic Evidence. A Bit About "Regular" Stills Too.

Hi all,

The title pretty much says it all.

Look at the range of grays and clarity, lack of grain etc in the first image and following enlargement compared with the images below these first two. Those display cold b/w, over-contrasted, grainy, and unclear images on modern paper with orange peel surfaces and showing no age at all - no backstamps, linen, dates, snipes (either added as a stamp or typewritten on to the Reverse, or even a glued on paper snipe). Lady in a Cage is a 1964 sort of "B+" "crazy" film hot off of the Sweet Charlotte/Baby Jane express. With costumes by an uncredited Edith Head! So, 58 years ago. Which still looks like it? The top or bottom images? Unfortunately, such copy stills, especially non-Key Book stills, often displaying such stupid surfaces as shown in the cold b/w copy below, are still offered and sold as original! At bottom is a superb Key Book photo of Clift/Hepburn, and a "regular still" from 1966's Whose Afraid Virginia of Virginia Woolf (13 AA Noms, Best Actress, Best Actor, Best Supportings, Best Picture, Best Cinematography, Best...of most everything).

Robert Willoughby still photographer for Whose Afraid of Virginia Woolf? 1966

Norman Hargood still photographer for Richard III 1955

The other two I cannot find (yet).

The images should say everything:

And here is a very high quality original Key Book photograph with its original linen mount. From 1959's Suddenly, Last Summer, by Tennessee Williams. These general observations hold true for non-Key Book photographic still, production or otherwise.

And here is a "regular" still with the data and all - look at the quality. By Robert Willoughby 1966:

And before, they were art. Olivier as Richard III 1955 by Norman Hargood:

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Updated with additional information and more/better images.

Thank you, Eric. That is great information.  Great shot of Ann Southern and Jeff Corey.

Thank you Steve! :-)  So many copies for sale, this is why I stick to originals for autographs or stills - inherent value, higher production values and scarcity. These images really lay out some observable differences. I hope they help collectors.

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