THEY come from a time of classic movies and classic posters.

A “time capsule” of cinema history is to go under the hammer at an Oxford auction house when more than 750 original film posters from the 1950s and 1960s go up for grabs in a sale billed as offering something for everyone.

At the top end of the scale is a Dracula poster from the X-rated 1958 movie which is expected to fetch between £3,000 and £5,000.

Lower down the price range are bundles of posters starting from £20 and a selection of adverts for Alfred Hitchcock films – including Rear Window and The 39 Steps – starting at £30.

The posters have all come from a private collection originally sourced from The Royal Cinema in Kerry, Ireland, in the 1960s. Auctioneer Philip Smith, who will lead the bidding at Mallams in St Michael’s Street on March 17, said: “It’s quite sensational to get a whole collection like this – it’s almost like a time capsule.

“To get such a collection from one source is extraordinary.

“The posters were originally from a cinema in Ireland and have never really been seen since.

“It’s a snapshot of Catholic Irish life. Some of them have been censored – Sophia Loren’s skirt, for example, has been lengthened with marker pen in one of them!”

Among the other famous faces on show in the lots are Audrey Hepburn, Fred Astaire and John Wayne.

Mr Smith added: “The collection covers all different genres. There’s horror, comedy, Carry On films, romance – it’s a real mixture.

“There are some very collectable lots for the big collectors, but also lots of lots grouped together, so if you own a restaurant or home you could buy five for £60 or £70, which in some ways is an amazing bargain.

“They are works of art in their own right.”

Viewing starts on Thursday, March 15, between 2pm and 7pm and continues between 9am and 5pm the following day.

The auction begins at 10.30am on Saturday, March 17.

For more information, see mallams.co.uk or call 01865 241358.

tairs@oxfordmail.co.uk