Cause A Frockus

Collecting Vintage Posters

Jun 30, 2014 | by Becky Oeltjenbruns

Vintage posters make amazing collectibles. Like photographs, they artistically capture the spirit of the times and make for meaningful decorative elements. We’ve already talked about the history of these items, but now we’ll discuss the rules of the road for collecting vintage posters. We always advise that you buy from a trusted shop owner, but with our guide you can confidently seek out treasures wherever fate may take you.

Vintage poster sizes

Keep in mind that foreign posters will have different dimensions; we’ll reflect American sizes here. Sizes are described in terms of a one sheet – think of this as the foundation for all formats. A one sheet is 41 x 27 inches, therefore a three-sheet is three one sheets organized alongside each other. Other sizes are the half sheet (22 x 28 inches), the three sheets (as mentioned), the six sheets, and twenty four sheets. The one sheet is the most common format, based on 19th century dimensions. The one sheet took residence both in movie theater lobbies and outside places of business. You’ll find theatrical subject matter, eye-grabbing graphics, and the image will be printed on lighter paper. One sheets usually have a vertical fold and two horizontal folds. Since they were so successful with promotion, it’s not uncommon to see the artist’s name featured on the front.

Movie theaters and shops didn’t just focus on the bigger formats, smaller sizes could be just as effective in advertising. Here you’ll find lobby cards (11 x 14 inches) which are akin to our modern trading cards, but their focus is on film not athletics. Lobby card sets consisted of eight individual cards, with seven of them showing movie stills and one promoting the title of the film. Studios spent a lot of money on these little beauties and they will most likely be fully colored (like in our Mary Pickford example). As the movie industry took off, bigger and bigger budgets were employed. Studios celebrated these monumental releases with large versions of the lobby card. Called the jumbo lobby card, it was 14 x 17 inches. Unlike the normal size, there usually wasn’t a title card. You’ll only find these before WWII because once the war commenced they were discontinued.

Window cards were another way for theaters to showcase their latest offerings. The standard size is 22 x 14 inches. As they were put up against shop windows, they were printed on a thicker card stock or cardboard to support their rough display life. Typically the top of the card would have a space along the edge where the theater’s name would be shown. Like the lobby cards, the window cards would come in a variety of sizes: the midget version is 14 x 8 inches with the jumbo being 22 x 28 inches.

Unique Vintage Poster Sizes

During the 1930s a couple different formats came into use. The 40 x 60 inch posters were very rare due to their larger size. They were originally printed on lighter paper stock, rolled into a tube, mailed, and then mounted to a backing for display. This extra durability made them extremely desirable among theater owners. During this time the Walt Disney studio was taking the Hollywood scene by storm, cementing their status as an icon. Around the mid-1930s they also moved toward more grandiose displays for their latest triumph, printing their posters on a 30 x 40 inch format. Like the 40 x 60s they were rolled when sent to theaters.

In an effort to bring in more customers to the budding film industry, movie studios pulled out all the stops: door panels sized 60 x 20 inches lured people in with their fantastic designs. Banners made the ultimate bold statement, coming in at lengths up to ten feet. Historically they were printed onto a heavy fabric via silk screen printing. By the 1930s they were printed on card with a photograph affixed to it.

Poster condition guide

Mint

The best of the best; exceptional. The work will have no color fading or other abnormalities. Essentially it will appear just as it did when it was first made. Keep in mind that fold lines are to be expected and do not deter from the poster’s value.

Near mint

The creases of the fold lines may show some wear or there may be pinholes in the corners of the poster. Essentially, the piece is in near perfect condition. The colors of the poster will still be vibrant.

Fine and Very Good

The wear and tear around creases or edges will appear more pronounced. Colors will follow suit; very good but not as vibrant as a near mint example. The distinction of “very good” indicates the distress is more expressed than a “fine” piece.

Good

The piece is imperfect but is still considered adequate as the image and colors remain legible. Keep in mind that if the poster is incredibly rare, the ranking of good is considered very valuable. With a “good” poster you will have some age spots (which are rust colored), some discoloration of the paper medium itself, or paper may even be missing in some areas.

Fair and Poor

The grading of fair is used when the damage(s) impact the image. You will see significant wear and tear and possibly even another collector’s mismanaged attempt at repair. A “poor” poster means that it cannot be repaired and its only true value derives from an emotional attachment.

How to care for vintage posters

Once you have your new find in hand, you may be wondering how to best preserve it. We’ll offer you just a few tips and tricks, for more specific care needs seek out the advice of a paper restorer. The best thing to remember: always handle your prize with cotton gloves to avoid any oil stains from forming. When you are deciding on the spot to display or store your poster keep in mind that you want a space that is climate controlled where you can maintain a consistent temperature and low humidity. Be sure to select a location where you have no direct sunlight.

Framing a vintage poster can be tricky business and is often best left to a professional archivist (especially if you have a particularly rare piece), but we’ll help you start an informed discussion with these tips. Never trim your poster or alter it in any way as that will detract from its value. Keep in mind that you can always get a custom frame or display arrangement made – no need to trim to fit! Make sure that you use acid-free materials: don’t let the poster touch the glass in your frame, use an acid-free mat board to let the poster breathe.

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Cause A Frockus would like to thank their tremendous resources: Tips, Tools, and Techniques to care for antiques, collectibles, and other treasures by Georgia Kemp Caraway, Starstruck: Vintage Movie Posters from Classic Hollywood by Ira M. Resnick, Learn about movie posters, and the people who post their images without restriction.

For our readers: Why do you love collecting vintage posters? Do you have a favorite size, if so, why?

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