A BATHURST film buff has offered his priceless collection of historic movie memorabilia to Bathurst Regional Council to go on display for the public.
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Noel Cowan’s collection include more than 1000 souvenir movie programs and vintage fan magazines dating back to the Golden Age of cinema.
Mr Cowan has approached council to arrange a permanent loan of the collection in return for being given public space to display a rotating exhibition of the items.
He first made the offer six months ago but after that approach fell on deaf ears he decided to try his luck with a new group of councillors.
“I have had offers from overseas to buy the whole collection that covers the very early days of film-making through to the silent era and today, though the bulk of the pieces are pre-2000,” Mr Cowan said.
“The National Film and Sound Archives in Canberra wanted the Australian items but I don’t want to consider any ideas that don’t involve showing the entire collection in Bathurst until I have explored the idea of showing them here, where I live, first.”
Mr Cowan said hundreds of souvenir movie programs that were printed in the early days of film were the highlights of his collection.
The programs featured lots of photos about the movie and the actors and background on the filming.
They are rarely produced today but Mr Cowan’s oldest example is from the epic 1915 drama The Birth Of A Nation.
As an avid film buff, Mr Cowan has been collecting programs since he was a young man.
“I just always wanted to take a souvenir from the movie,” he said.
“They didn’t always make programs for the films but the movie posters have always been available.
“I just enjoyed getting to read up on the making of them film and stories from when the film was made.”
Have your say …
Mr Cowan took his proposal to the October meeting of council and has since had a couple of councillors contact him to discuss the plan further.
Deputy mayor Bobby Bourke said he saw some merit in the idea of a permanent rotating display but conceded it was still very early stages.
“He has some good suggestions there,” Cr Bourke said.
“It’s certainly worth investigating further and I think that’s what council is going to do.
“Council will talk to Mr Cowan and find out a bit more and there has also been a bit of small talk between some of the councillors.”
Mr Cowan stressed he was not looking to make money out of his proposal.
“What’s in it for me? Certainly nothing financial,” he said. “I would just be happy to be making a contribution to Bathurst and to anyone who appreciates the history of film.”
