1927 Hand‑Colored French Grande Poster Sa Dernière Course (63 × 47 in)

Offered is a scarce French “grande” lithograph poster (approx. 63 × 47 in.) for Sa Dernière Course, the Paris release of Metro‑Goldwyn‑Mayer’s silent drama In Old Kentucky (1927), directed by John M. Stahl and starring James Murray, Hélène Costello and Wesley Barry. The film is also notable for featuring one of the first credited screen appearances of Lincoln Perry—later famous as Stepin Fetchit—during an era when roles for Black performers were sharply limited. Based on Charles T. Dazey’s 1893 stage hit, the story blends horse‑racing excitement with family melodrama; no complete print of the picture is known to survive, making original advertising material an important record.

Printed by Richer & Laugier, Paris for the Cinélux cinema chain, the poster was issued in black‑line lithography and then hand‑colored and embellished in gouache and crayon, a cost‑saving practice that gives each surviving example unique character. The central vignette juxtaposes an affectionate Black couple with a courting white pair, while a frieze of jockeys thunders across the bottom border; Art Deco linework, stippled accents and a Cinélux cartouche anchor the composition. Housed behind plexiglass in a simple black frame, the piece presents vibrant period graphics for collectors of early MGM, Art Deco design or equestrian imagery.

Condition

Creasing along original machine folds; a few ancillary handling lines. Hand‑applied pigments remain bright with minor tone variation expected from the technique. Frame shows small scuffs, and loose debris is visible behind plexiglass at upper left. Dust‑paper backing torn near hang‑wire; poster itself not examined out of frame.

Dimensions (inches)

• Overall, framed: 62 ⅞ H × 47 ⅜ W

• Visible sight: 59 ¼ H × 43 ¾ W

A vivid, hand‑finished artifact of a now‑lost silent feature, ready to display.