Rare, Early Charlie Chaplin Poster from 1913 Brings ,810

Posted by Dinesh Kumar on April 14th, 2021

One of the earliest and rarest Charlie Chaplin posters to ever come to market, produced in 1913 when Chaplin was still a vaudeville performer and aspiring young comedian, sold for ,810 in a live online auction held March 14th by Appraisal & Estate Sale Specialists, Inc. The poster was the top earner of the 633 lots that came up for bid.

“We were very pleased with the outcome of this auction,” said Dan Wilson, a co-owner of Appraisal & Estate Sale Specialists, Inc., along with Suki Hilger. “The market is picking back up and we are seeing items achieve higher prices. The Charlie Chaplin poster exceeded past auction results and all expectations. It went to a collector who will cherish it and take care of it forever.”

The poster was a 42 inch long by 14 inch wide broadside advertising Fred Karno’s London Comedy Company and a show called “The Wow Wows”, starring Chaplin and other comedy performers. It was held at the Empress Theatre in San Diego, with performances on Feb. 17, 1913. It also marked one of Chaplin’s last-ever appearances in vaudeville.

“The Wow Wows” was a 29-minute show, performed in three scenes, the premise being Chaplin's character was told he would be initiated into a secret society, when in fact the others were getting revenge on him. The comedy debuted in 1910 in New York. Included in the lot were a few playbills that had some great advertising from the San Diego area.

To learn more about Appraisal & Estate Sale Specialists, Inc., visit www.estatesalemandan.webs.com.