The finest auction of vintage posters of the cinema of Satyajit Ray & Bengal

From Pather Panchali to Kabuliwala, from Devi to Ghare Bhaire – an unsurpassed Collection

deRivaz and Ives, India's youngest auction house, is proud to present an extraordinary collection of vintage film memorabilia highlighting the pioneering journey of the legendary filmmaker Satyajit Ray along with select vintage posters of Bengal cinema.

Scheduled to take place from 21 – 23 September 2023, the online auction will be held on the website www.derivaz-ives.com.

The first such Satyajit Ray auction to be held on this scale and quality, the unique assortment is a treasure trove for film fans, scholars and collectors, comprising rare posters, photographic stills, lobby cards, and film synopsis booklets.

Through these timeless collectibles from Ray’s phenomenal career, deRivaz & Ives is offering a rare occasion to acquire a part of cinematic history and delve into the filmmaker’s remarkable journey. The items on sale hold not only cinematic historical significance but also graphic & artistic value as Ray was the designer of most of the artworks.

The collectibles also provide insights on the genius of Bengali Film Poster Design, considered to be ahead of its time and at par with some of the best of world cinema, especially in the calligraphic quality which defined cinematic font designs and their interaction with imagery.

Some of the highlights of the auction are an early release song synopsis booklet of Pather Panchali and its iconic re-release full sheet poster issued for the launch of the Nandan Complex in 1980. Other noteworthy collectibles include:

Natir Puja Song-Synopsis Booklet (1932): A rare song-synopsis booklet for New Theatre's film Natir Puja (The Dancing Girl's Worship), inspired by Rabindranath Tagore's dance-drama and poem 'Pujarini'. The film marked Tagore's unique venture into filmmaking, with support from cinematic luminaries like B.N. Sircar, Nitin Bose and Subodh Mitra.

Apur Sansar Half-sheet Poster: the iconic original image of Apu printed on a later re-release issue of Apur Sansar signed by the legendary actors Soumitra Chattopadhyay (Chatterjee) and Sharmila Tagore. This poster is a true gem for collectors and enthusiasts alike.

Devi Photographic Lobby Cards (Lot of 5) and re-release Half-Sheet Poster will be available for both private collectors and museum collections dedicated to world film history.

Shatranj Ke Khilari (1977) full-sheet Poster signed by Ray gifted to his producer friend Suresh Jindal: Ray's enduring poster designs for Shatranj Ke Khilari and captivating lobby cards from the film's production are also among the auction's highlights.

Magnificent Bengali Film Posters featuring the legendary romantic pairing of Uttam Kumar & Suchitra Sen from films such as Sagarika (1956), Indrani (1959), Nabarag (1971); the Bengali poster version of the superhit Aradhana (1969), the iconic poster of Ritwik Ghatak’s last film Jukti Takka Aar Gappo (1977) and two brilliant designs of Tapan Sinha’s Kabuliwala (1956) are other major highlights of the auction.

According to the spokesperson for deRivaz and Ives Auction House Pvt Ltd., "Never before has such an extensive and diverse collection of Satyajit Ray memorabilia been made available in a single auction. This represents a significant opportunity for cinephiles, institutions dedicated to the study of Bengali and South Asian cinema, and particularly admirers of Satyajit Ray's international cinematic legacy."

Recently, deRivaz and Ives had organized a successful auction on the theme of “Barsaat and Bharat”, on the occasion of India’s Independence Day celebrations, which was a huge success among cinephiles and collectors.

About deRivaz and Ives Auction House Pvt Ltd:

deRivaz and Ives is an online auction house specializing in modern and contemporary Indian fine arts, film memorabilia, vintage & classic automobiles, and Indian & Asian photography & antiquarian books dedicated to preserving and showcasing the rich history of Indian art, cinema and culture.