TITLE: Eraserhead
COUNTRY: United States
STYLE: Original release poster
SIZE: 17 x 22 inches, folded
ESTIMATE: $235 - $850
PRICE: NA

The original US poster and most valuable Lynch poster of all. Recently named by "Premiere" magazine as one of the 50 Greatest Movie Posters ever!

Due to the film's small initial release, the poster is not a typical US one sheet size but is instead a smaller 17 x 22 inches. They were always folded into quarters.

One of the most valuable of all Lynch posters. It has sold at auctions such as Christie's in New York for hundreds of dollars.

HISTORY

The history behind the printing and distribution of original Eraserhead poster is quite confusing and not well understood. Many different style of posters have been proclaimed as original. In fact, the reason LynchPosters.com was started was because I was interested in detailing what exactly an original Eraserhead poster looked like.

It should be noted that there may indeed exist multiple "original" styles. Since the film ran for years in the midnight theatre circuit, posters were needed in a continuous fashion rather than for a specific release date. There were several runs of posters made as the demand for the film increased slowly across midnight theatre circuits.

As a baseline, an original must be 17 x 22 inches, must be single sided, and must be folded (typically into fourths).

TEXT STYLES

Next, it should be noted that there are two different text styles used for the title. Many posters use a blockier style of text, while many others use a thinner, non-blocky text. Note however that the text for the Libra films logo and the "A Film By David Lynch" do not change.
Block style of text Non-block style of text
Blocky style of text
Thinner "non-block" style of text

LINES

The second category of differences are small dark lines that appear on some posters near the chin and forehead of Henry's face.

No lines
Forehead line
No forehead line
Chin and lip lines
No lines

Not all posters bear these lines. These lines do not appear on the original film. By comparing the location of these lines with the location of the folds on the folded original posters, it seems quite clear that these lines are from the original folds of the original poster.

Often when a folded poster is restored, there are some residual restoration markings along fold lines. As these dark line are exactly where the quarter folds would be for an original poster, I believe these lines appear on second run posters that were taken from a restored folded original poster.

THE ANSWERS

To further investigate these topics, I managed to search out a Mr. Ben Barenholtz in New York City. He is the person who distributed the film in it's early years and also designed the original posters. He told me that designing the poster was as simple as photocopying the still of Henry's face from the film!

He also helped answer questions regarding the different styles of text on the posters. He claims that the blocky style of text was the text he originally decided to use for the title. However, Lynch didn't approve and at some point inserted a style of text that Lynch liked better - the thinner, non-blocky text. This answered the question about the different style of text but didn't answer when Lynch swithced texts. As the only poster with thinner text also have the fold lines, it seems that Lynch may have changed styles after at least the first run of posters.

Thus I have begun categorizing original Eraserhead posters as to whether or not they have the block lettering and the chin line:

1. Block/no-line - first printing with text designed by Ben Barenholtz.

2. Block/lines - A later printing with text still designed by Ben Barenholtz and lines from the fold in the original poster.

3. Non-block/line - A later printing with Lynch's style of text and lines evident from folds on the original poster.

4. Non-block/no-line - first printing with text designed by David Lynch. Does this exist??

Original First Run (Block, no-line) - By the above definitions, this poster must have:

1. Blocky text, 2. No chin or forehead lines

I have found only two or three posters that perhaps fit this description:
Has the blocky text and indeed has no lines. However, it is rolled. When I finally got my hands on this poster it was obvious it was a reprint. New glossy paper, never folded, clean crisp printing. Too good. I have not been able to find who reprinted this.
I have never been able to get my hands on this poster - I have only the scan to work with. Of particular concern is that the Libra Logo is on the lower left corner, rather than the lower right corner like every other Eraserhead poster. Is this even a true poster or just an image?
Just when I was about to give up hope that a block, no-line original existed, I found this photo taken of an original poster that was auctioned off at Christies in New York. It appears to be folded, blocklettering, and non-lines, but the lines are difficult to determine with such a bad photo. I am still trying to contact the high bidder.
Summary: Block, no-line posters should be considered the potential first run and most original of all styles, but I have not been able to actually hold one in my hands. Beware the above reprint!
Block, lines - These posters have the same block lettering that Ben Barenholtz designed but are from an apparent second run poster as it has the lines on the chin and forehead.
Sold by a distributor in New York, it appears to be authentic though I have not inspected it myself.
I purchased this from a Canadian arthouse who screened the film during it's initial release - a positively authentic poster. Folded with thin glossy paper, minor wear, block letters, and apparent chin and forehead lines.
Summary: I feel quite able to state this style is an original poster, though perhaps from a second run. When I asked Ben Barenholtz (the designer of the posters) what style he had framed on his wall, he stated he had a block, line version!
Non-block, lines - These posters feature the text preferred by Lynch with the lines on the chin and forehead, indicating that these are likely a second run.
Bought directly from a theatre so I am confident this is an original poster. Thin, slightly glossy paper with minor wear. The chin and forehead lines are easily seen.
Summary: I am also quite confident that the non-blocj, lines versions are an authentic style. I agree with Lynch in that I prefer this text style.
Non-block, no-lines - I recently have been able to confirm that this version even exists. This would make some sense - if Lynch decided later to change text styles, this may have been accomplished after the first run of posters were printed. Thus the non-block style would only have the chin and forehead line.
When I first saw this poster I thought I had finally discovered a non-block, no line version. However, it is rolled and on closer inspection it is simply the reprint version of the DavidLynch.com reprint. Despite what they say, I am unable to say how this reprint differs from a possible original except to see the paper and assure an original would be folded (see next).
Finally.... I found it. Though I haven't been able to touch it, an reputable dealer sent me this scan. It appears to be authentic. No llines, thin lettering. It seems as if Lynch did institute the text changes before the second run.
Summary: It is unclear if this version even exists.
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