DALLAS, TEXAS — A one sheet poster for D.W. Griffith’s 1915, The Birth of a Nation—considered to be one of the most controversial and explicitly racist films of the early Twentieth Century—sold for $74,687, including the buyer’s premium, to an online bidder. The final price was more than three times expectations in Heritage Auctions’ summer vintage movie posters auction, July 30-31. With top prices paid for pre-War horror posters and uncommon discoveries for classic American films, the auction total topped $1.7 million.

“Despite being one of the most influential motion pictures of all time, posters from The Birth of a Nation are almost never seen at auction,” said Grey Smith, director of vintage posters at Heritage. “I’m not surprised it did well, but I was pleased to see it surpass expectations three times over. The entire auction was a success from start to finish.”

A full review of the auction will appear in a future issue.