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A hand-painted Halloween message from Rupert Grint to Alan Rickman from their time on the Harry Potter film series. This lot comes from the personal archive of the late Alan Rickman.
Painted in black on the back of a piece of browned lined paper, the message reads "To My Best Teacher Snape" and also features a painted caricature of Snape's face surrounded by candles, bats, cobwebs and pumpkins. It is signed "Ron" at the bottom of the page. Dimensions: 25 cm x 21 cm (9.75" x 8.25")
Estimate: £2,000 - 4,000 M
Equally at home on stage or screen, Alan Rickman was a major star, despite entering his profession late. After working in graphic design, his first theatrical engagement after graduating from RADA in 1974 was at the Library Theatre, Manchester, where, aged 28, he was contracted for a season of underwhelming plays.
Steady work followed, but an unhappy season with the Royal Shakespeare Company in 1978 led Rickman to question his future. But after appearances at the Bush, London's pre-eminent fringe theatre of the time, in 1981, he found his spiritual home: the Royal Court Theatre. Rickman appeared in several shows, which established him as a leading man, but also provided him with the rehearsal technique - his "process" - which he would use in the preparation of every role he played. He returned to the RSC in 1985 to play the Vicomte de Valmont in Les Liaisons Dangereuses, first in Stratford, then the West End and finally Broadway, establishing him as a theatrical star.
Rickman's commitment to theatre meant that he did not make his theatrical film debut until 1988, but what a debut it was. Die Hard was an instant classic, with Rickman elevating a character who could have been the standard Euro-villain into a Hollywood Hall of Fame psychopath, Hans Gruber. Rickman became an overnight star at the age of forty-two, and three years later, he cemented his place in Hollywood with his film-stealing performance in Robin Hood: Prince of Thieves.
He set about putting his fame to work for him, enabling "difficult" projects to get funding, as well as opening doors and wallets for his favourite causes. Rickman was a firm believer in "sending the elevator back down" and provided support to young actors, writers and theatres whenever possible. His fellow professionals shared audience adoration of him, and the young casts of the Harry Potter films could not have asked for a more generous mentor than Severus Snape, on whom they bestowed homemade gifts and awards - all of which Rickman kept, and form a poignant part of this archive.
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This item is located in Los Angeles.
All prices displayed are exclusive of sales taxes, although the US States below may be required to pay sales tax on their order following the Wayfair ruling; these will be calculated at checkout.
Arizona
California
Illinois
Kansas
Michigan
New York
North Carolina
Ohio
Utah
Washington
Wisconsin
All conversions presented are approximate. You will be charged in US Dollars (USD$).
Prices do not include shipping and handling or any local taxes and duties that may be applied by your local government.
This item lives in our UK office.
All £ prices include sales tax (VAT) of 20.00% for clients within the UK or NI. An “M” indicates the item is sold under the margin scheme for collector’s items so no VAT is due, except to clients within NI. All € and $ prices are exclusive of VAT.
Due to the Wayfair Ruling, some US States may be required to pay sales tax. Conversions are approximate and you’ll be charged in UK Sterling (GBP£). Prices do not include shipping, handling or any local taxes. Duties may also be applied by your local government.
This item lives in our US office.
All prices are exclusive of sales taxes. Due to the Wayfair Ruling, some US States may be required to pay sales tax. If that’s the case, we’ll calculate the total at checkout. Conversions are approximate and you’ll be charged in US Dollars (USD$). Prices do not include shipping, handling or any local taxes. Duties may also be applied by your local government.
Incl. Buyer’s Premium
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