The René Chateau Collection: when Cinema's Memory went under the hammer
- Jennie Clara-Galté
- Apr 10
- 4 min read
April 9th, 2026 — Salle VV, 3 rue Rossini, 75009 PARIS
I followed the sale live, from 11am to nearly 10pm… And I can tell you, it was quite a show.
Yesterday at Millon, in Paris's Drouot district, the first part of the René Château collection sale — La Mémoire du Cinéma — took place, and to say that bidders spared no expense to own a piece of this extraordinary history would be an understatement. René Château (1939-2024), the "king of VHS", visionary distributor, obsessive collector, had built over his lifetime a collection that was truly unique in the world. Unique — and that's not a word I use lightly.
Over 650 lots in total: French and international posters, silver gelatin photographs, promotional materials, books, DVDs, VHS tapes, vinyl records… A breathtaking panorama of 20th century cinema. I tried to make a Bonne Impression on the bidders, but the competition was fierce 😅. I did, however, come away with a beautiful find: a 1932 Belgian poster for the film "Tout s'arrange" by Henri Diamant-Berger, which will soon be joining my collection. 🎉
But let's talk about the highlights of this sale, because some of these figures deserve a closer look.
The posters that broke records
As expected, the major French posters and international rarities sparked some memorable bidding battles.
M (Fritz Lang, 1931) — the German linen-backed poster featuring that iconic red hand against a black background, one of the most powerful images in cinema history — sold for €32,000. A sum that perfectly reflects the rarity and graphic strength of the piece.
La Grande Illusion (Jean Renoir, 1937), in its French version illustrated by Bernard Lancy, went for €23,000. A price that speaks volumes about the market value of pre-war French cinema classics, from a time when the movie poster was still a genuine work of art.
Bride of Frankenstein (James Whale, 1935), the French poster illustrated by René Lefebvre, reached €21,000 — well above its high estimate. French versions of American horror and fantasy posters remain among the most sought-after pieces on the market, and this sale confirmed it brilliantly.
King Kong (Schoedsack & Cooper, 1933), in the beautiful French version illustrated by René Péron, soared to €19,000, despite some fold marks. René Péron, whose work appeared in several lots throughout the sale, is clearly a blue-chip name.
Martin Roumagnac (Georges Lacombe, 1946), also signed by René Péron and featuring the exceptional pairing of Gabin and Dietrich, found a buyer at €1,700, at the top of its estimate.
The Pagnol effect, or the loyalty of true aficionados
The series of posters from the Marseille trilogy, illustrated by the brilliant Albert Dubout, confirmed collectors' enduring attachment to this universe:
Marius: €2,100
César: €900
Fanny: €950
La Femme du boulanger: €750
Solid results, at or slightly above estimate, reflecting a steady demand for Pagnol's cinema — and for Dubout in particular, whose instantly recognisable style never goes out of fashion.
The surprise of the sale: the collectibles
It's hard not to mention one of the most entertaining moments of the day — and one of the earliest: certain lots of promotional merchandise — t-shirts, sweatshirts, metal trays featuring Belmondo or Bruce Lee — reached prices that would have made René Château himself smile. Promotional items estimated at between €40 and €80 went for several hundred euros, some even exceeding €2,000. The market for ephemeral promotional items clearly still has a few surprises up its sleeve.
What this sale tells us about the market
This first part of the René Château collection confirms several trends I have been observing for years:
Major French posters from the 1930s-1950s, in good condition and signed by recognised illustrators (Péron, Soubie, Dubout, Bonneaud…), continue to rise in value. The rarity of these documents is real — print runs were limited, the paper has aged poorly, and serious collectors know it.
French versions of horror and fantasy film posters are safe-haven assets for international collectors, who often consider them graphically superior to their American originals.
Finally, provenance now plays an essential role: knowing that a poster once belonged to René Château, that it was part of a collection built with passion and expertise over decades, adds a certain soul to the piece — and evidently, a certain value.
Part 2 is coming… In the meantime, browse the full Bonne Impression collection — rare, vintage and more recent posters — at www.bonneimpression.shop
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