Both Kalinin and Davis encourage a thorough examination for originality and authenticity, which includes these steps:
- Turn it over. According to Kalinin, the earliest posters tended to be stone lithographs or lithographs. ...
- Look for uniform color. A close look at the poster’s colors should show uniformity. ...
- Look at the paint texture. The silk screen printing process tended to result in a thicker layer of color on the paper. ...
- Look at the margins. ...
- Look at the font. ...
Are old posters worth collecting?
No doubt, the first edition is definitely always an original vintage poster. On the one hand, reprints and reissues are collectible originals too. On the other hand, reproductions or retro-style posters may be very decorative for your home, but they are never valuable collectibles.
How can you tell if a poster is real or fake?
The lithographic process creates rich, strong color that should last a long time. Because these paints contained oil, and old image will sink through to the reverse of the poster with time. If you can see an outline of the image through the back, that’s a good indication that it is original.
Are first edition posters worth anything?
No doubt, the first edition is definitely always an original vintage poster. On the one hand, reprints and reissues are collectible originals too. On the other hand, reproductions or retro-style posters may be very decorative for your home, but they are never valuable collectibles.
Do posters ever go out of style?
Vintage posters never go out of style. Collected by lovers of art, antiques, and design alike, “posters feature in so many areas of life,” says Kirill Kalinin, founder of one of London’s premiere antique poster shops.
How do you authenticate a poster?
0:372:17Poster Collecting: Authentication - YouTubeYouTubeStart of suggested clipEnd of suggested clipThere are things which you can use to tell that they're actually authentic. You can tell just byMoreThere are things which you can use to tell that they're actually authentic. You can tell just by looking at a piece of paper does it have an age so if you're looking at a a concert poster.
What is an original vintage poster?
Put simply, an original vintage poster is one printed at the stated date and from the first print run. In other words, if you see a poster on our website dated '1935' it will have been printed in 1935.
How do you know if a poster is valuable?
What factors determine the value of an original classic poster?Original, reprint, or reproduction: only original posters by the original poster artist are valuable. ... Condition: classic posters are graded from A to D. ... Rarity: the rarity of a poster is an important, though hard to assess factor.More items...•
Are vintage posters worth any money?
And unlike many art forms, you can own a significant poster image for as little as a few hundred dollars, with the sweet spot of vintage poster prices in the neighborhood of $2,000.
Is Op original post or poster?
On social media sites, OP usually stands for "original poster" or "original post." The person who creates a post that others are now replying to, or that first post itself, is the OP.
What posters are worth money?
Most Valuable Movie Posters of All Time'Airplane' Year: 1980. Poster style: U.S. one sheet. ... 'Revenge of the Jedi' (Tie) Year: 1982. ... 'Pulp Fiction' (Tie) Year: 1994. ... 'From Russia with Love' Year: 1963. ... 'Jaws' Year: 1975. ... 'Lawrence of Arabia' Year: 1962. ... 'Thunderball' Year: 1965. ... 'You Only Live Twice' Year: 1967.More items...•
How do you tell the difference between a poster and a lithograph?
Typically, posters are digitally printed in bulk. On the other hand, lithographs are works of art that are hand-printed by an artist (or artisan) that has been reproduced in small quantities from an original image, using grease, ink, water, and a special surface such as limestone.
What is the difference between a poster and an art print?
Generally the difference is in the level of quality. Wall posters are typically printed in large volume on less expensive paper, fine-art posters are printed on high-quality paper, and fine-art prints are printed with careful attention to true color reproduction on high-quality paper.
What to do with old posters?
Six Uses for Old PostersKeep it above your desk (and out of the poster graveyard)Hang it up on the walls outside your lab.Use it as wrapping paper.Make a useful papercraft.Sew it into a bag.Wear it as a scarf.
How much is an original Wizard of Oz poster worth?
As far as the prices for which the posters sold, it is interesting to note that the ones from 1949 and 1955 sold in $300 range, and the 1939 posters were sold for $18,000 and $19,000 to the same bidder who was bidding against bidders on the phone and seemed to be willing to go even higher.
How were posters made in the 1900s?
Lithography, the printing technique that revolutionized the poster in the late 1800s and early 1900s was invented by German, Alois Senefelder in 1796, but not utilized until the mid-to-late 1800s. In the beginning, lithography was believed to be “too slow” and “too expensive.”
How do you tell the difference between a poster and a lithograph?
Typically, posters are digitally printed in bulk. On the other hand, lithographs are works of art that are hand-printed by an artist (or artisan) that has been reproduced in small quantities from an original image, using grease, ink, water, and a special surface such as limestone.
What posters are worth money?
Most Valuable Movie Posters of All Time'Airplane' Year: 1980. Poster style: U.S. one sheet. ... 'Revenge of the Jedi' (Tie) Year: 1982. ... 'Pulp Fiction' (Tie) Year: 1994. ... 'From Russia with Love' Year: 1963. ... 'Jaws' Year: 1975. ... 'Lawrence of Arabia' Year: 1962. ... 'Thunderball' Year: 1965. ... 'You Only Live Twice' Year: 1967.More items...•
How can you tell if a poster is a lithograph?
A common way to tell if a print is a hand lithograph or an offset lithograph is to look at the print under magnification. Marks from a hand lithograph will show a random dot pattern created by the tooth of the surface drawn on. Inks may lay directly on top of others and it will have a very rich look.
How were vintage posters made?
Early on posters were printed using a complicated process of stone or plate lithography but over time other printing techniques (photolithography, woodblocks, silkscreens, photo-offset) were used.
How do I know if my poster is original or reprint?
Original lithographic posters will not look pixelated under a loupe or magnifying glass. The process of stone lithography applies a solid layer of color to the paper, whereas posters that are digitally reproduced all have the tell-tale pixels when seen under magnification.
Are old movie posters worth money?
Big-name collectors like Leonardo DiCaprio and Nicolas Cage are prepared to stump up hundreds of thousands of dollars for the rarest, most sought-after classic movie posters. Yet even relatively recent and commonly available specimens can be worth good money.
What makes movie posters valuable?
For movie posters, value is determined by a combination of factors, the most important being the title of the film. The most desirable posters are those from the most universally loved films such as Wizard of Oz, Casablanca, or It’s a Wonderful Life.
Is my poster worth anything?
A poster is an original if it was printed in the first printing run. Later official reprints may also have some value, but typically they are significantly less worth than the original poster. Reproductions of a poster have no monetary value. … However, a very rare poster may achieve a high price even in poor condition.
What is the rarest poster in the world?
Metropolis posters are by far the rarest posters ever. The style and elegance of these posters distinguishes them from others and makes them highly collectable items. The last Metropolis poster to be bought was by Leonardo di Caprio in 2006. It went for $690,000.
What is the number one selling poster of all time?
The resulting poster, of Fawcett in a one-piece red bathing suit, is the best-selling poster in history. The 1976 poster of Farrah Fawcett sold a Record-breaking 12 million copies. If the poster company behind the shoot had its way, however, the red swimsuit would have never made it into the frame.
Are lobby cards worth anything?
The current market value for a lobby card (sets are usually broken down, and the cards sold individually) ranges from $1 for a “dead” card to $25,000 or more for a horror title card like Frankenstein or Dracula.
How were posters made?
The earliest full-color posters were created via the process of stone lithography, in which different stones were created for each color of the poster and the image was printed in layers. Subsequent printing styles include zinc (or metal) plate lithography, photo-offset, silkscreen and letterpress.
What is the American standard for a poster?
Collectors will have different opinions on proper treatment, but the American standard is to have a poster mounted on linen.
What is the margin on a poster?
The margin is most often where the printer’s information is found, and is considered an integral part of the poster. A missing margin is considered a flaw.
What is it called when two posters appear identical?
As a result, it is possible to see two posters that appear identical in image, but bear the name of a different location and date. These are referred to as variants.
Do posters look pixelated?
Original lithographic posters will not look pixelated under a loupe or magnifying glass. The process of stone lithography applies a solid layer of color to the paper, whereas posters that are digitally reproduced all have the tell-tale pixels when seen under magnification. However, for posters that incorporate photographic and later, digital processes, seeing pixels is not always a way of determining authenticity. In that case, experts draw on their knowledge of established publication information, what printing technologies were commonly available during the period in which the poster was published, and what printing method would have made the most sense for the context of its publication.
Can you frame a poster behind glass?
Framing a poster behind glass is heavy and risks tearing the poster if the frame drops and the glass cracks. Using plexiglass is a less expensive, safer way to go. You should also consider opting for UV (ultra-violet) plexiglass. UV plexi filters out harmful rays from natural sunlight, and will help prevent fading.
Is a poster a reproduction?
If it feels or looks like the paper from a glossy magazine, it is a more recent print. It is not unusual for a reproduction of a poster to have a more recent printing date, publisher or even “Reproduction” printed in the lower margin. This isn’t always the case, but it is always worth a quick look.
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How big is a poster?
Measure your one sheet poster exactly. Usually a one sheet will measure 27″x 40″ or 27″x41″ . If yours measures 26″x39″ or 24″x36″ it is most likely a reproduction
Why is the NSS number on a poster not an original?
Just because a poster has an NSS number on the front does not automatically make it an “original”. When a poster is copied/reproduced, the NSS number is often reproduced as well in order make it look more authentic.
Is there a near mint movie poster?
Yes, there are Near Mint unused vintage original movie posters. If you look at other collectibles, there are coins, baseball cards and comic books that have survived for over 50 years in Near Mint condition. It doesn’t happen often, but it does happen. People send us photos all the time asking if their posters are original.
Why do people reprint posters?
A common reason for reprinting a poster (with minor modification) was the change of the airline logo or introduction of a slogan.
What is a vintage airline poster?
Early original vintage airline posters are usually lithographs in colors (from Greek lithos = stone and graphe = writing), a slow and expensive way to print. Usually the artist designed an original artwork on paper or canvas. This artwork had to be be transferred by a lithographer. This specialist had to draw the image reverse in a greasy substance and separated by colors on limestone plates.
When was the TWA San Francisco poster published?
One more fantasy TWA airline poster by Kerne Erickson and the original TWA San Francisco poster published in the 1950s.
Why do some designers prefer silkscreen?
Some designers preferred silkscreen technique, because that allows to print bright colors above darker images. In case of lithographs in colors it was much more complicated. All foreign versions had to be produced for themselves. Please have a look at the detail pictures of the famous Air France poster by Savignac.
Why was it necessary to print a poster in different languages?
To promote an airline or destination in foreign countries, it was necessary to print a poster in different languages.
What is lithography in print?
A lot of confusion is caused by the word „lithography“. Traditionally it means limestone li thography. But this expression was transferred into the modern preprint production process for offset prints. The process of colorseparation (producing four rasterized printing plates for the cmyk offset prints, based on an artwork) is called „lithography“, too. Because of this you often find imprints like „Litho in U.S.A.“ on US posters.
Who created the Pan American Airways poster?
A fantasy Pan American Airways poster (this PAA logo did never exist!) by Kerne Erickson an its template.
How to tell if a poster is original?
The lithographic process creates rich, strong color that should last a long time. Because these paints contained oil, and old image will sink through to the reverse of the poster with time. If you can see an outline of the image through the back , that’s a good indication that it is original.
How to tell if a poster is a reproduction?
Look at the margins. There will likely be text in the margins. If it’s in a different language from where the poster should have been printed or if the text is blurry , the poster may be a reproduction.
How to restore a pre-60s poster?
This requires washing the poster to rid it of dirt and residue and then bathing it in a light chlorine solution. The solution will remove some of the acid in the original paper and will bleach the paper slightly to bring out the luster of the piece’s original colors. After another water rinse, acid-free paper will be attached to the canvas using a vegetable-based glue. The poster will dry taut, which removes folds to allow for further restoration. If there are gaps, restorers may fill them with a vintage paper of the same thickness and airbrush like colors to fill the blank space.
What is the importance of documenting posters?
The process of documenting the posters also helps specialists determine the best treatment plan for each individual work.
Why do people spend more on posters than on frames?
Sometimes people spend more on the frame than they do on the poster because they want to do something elaborate.
Why should posters be hung behind UV-protective glass?
Posters should be hung behind UV-protective glass and displayed out of direct sunlight to prevent fading.
What to do if you are not sure what you're looking for?
If you’re not sure what you’re looking for, use an auction catalogue to help you get your bearings. This will offer a variety of posters from different periods with different subject matter.
How to tell if a print is a print?
If it is a print, you will see a straight line all around the four edges of the piece. They may have tried to conceal this with painted on fake brush strokes, but with careful examination you will still see the line underneath. When an artist works, there will always be paint on the edge of the canvas from obvious effort.
How to authenticate artwork?
Anyone willing to sell a piece of artwork should give you the option of authenticating it. 1-Ask to have the backing removed. This can be done carefully without any damage done and easily replaced. The dust-cover, or backing paper is easily and inexpensively replaced, if it is torn. This is done with all authentications.
What is the white paint on a canvas?
White is generally left alone on a piece and often applied last. With the magnifier, closely look at the tooth, or ‘bumps’, of the canvas to see that the white paint is only sitting on the top of the tooth. As the brush is pulled over the canvas with the thick final strokes, the top of the tooth is what grabs the paint.
