Attention Movie Buffs!
By Teresa Ambord
Here’s an interesting hobby. Movie buffs, especially fans of old movies, often enjoy collecting the original posters that were used to advertise the films. If this interests you, do your homework before you buy a poster. As with anything else, not all dealers operate the same, so do some checking and find out what you can about the dealer before you do business.
Know the Lingo
Once you’ve checked out the dealer’s reputation, make sure you are talking apples and apples. In other words, you need to know what a dealer means by "very good" condition so you're not disappointed. Here is the grading system used by the Motion Picture Arts Gallery:
- Near Mint: Never or hardly ever used condition. Colors are still vibrant with no marring of any kind.
- Very Good: Colors very bright, perhaps pinholes in the border. Very lightly used. No major flaws.
- Good: Acceptably used condition. Traces of wear. Pinholes or tape on border. Nothing significantly wrong with the actual image. Possible minor fading or scratches.
- Fair: Signs of usage. Perhaps separation along fold lines. Fading, excessive pin-holes or possible border paper loss.
- Poor: Wear or damage evident. Paper loss, fading and/or marring.
Next, you need to have some knowledge about the standard sizes of American made posters. Visit this Web site and you can not only learn the sizes, but take a look at some great examples of collectible posters.
Ask the seller if the poster is linen-backed. Linen backing means mounting the poster on a treated canvas. That’s an acceptable practice, but it can also be a technique for hiding damage. Before you agree to buy, find out what condition the poster was in before it was linen-backed.
An important detail to know when poster shopping is the difference between “reissue” and “reproduction.” A reproduction is a simple photographic copy of an original. It has little value as a collectible.
A “reissue” is created when a movie is re-released, complete with newly produced posters. For example, the Wizard of Oz was re-released over and over again, each time with new posters, different, yet still valuable. How can you tell the difference? Here’s one clue that indicates age. All one-sheet posters (27” by 41”) issued before 1980 are folded by the manufacturer before they are ever sold, with only rare exceptions (some in the industry say 1970, but the Motion Pictures Arts Gallery uses 1980). Another way to tell is that on an original, the fine print should be in focus. The more an original has been copied, obviously, the less clear the printing will be. If you have doubts about the authenticity of a poster, ask a dealer you trust for an opinion.
An Important Detail: Shipping
Ask how the item will be shipped, and in the event it is damaged en route, what is the dealer’s return policy? Get the answer in writing. If you do have to return it, use considerable care. The best way is to have the item wrapped in brown craft paper or plastic, and then mailed inside a reinforced poster tube. Or, for flat items, place them between two pieces of firm cardboard slightly larger than the item, and use packing tape to seal it in.
Recommended Reading
If you’re interested in reading more about the art of collecting movie posters, here are some great choices
- Reel Art: Great Posters from the Golden Age of the Silver Screen by Stephen Rebello and Richard Allen. 1992
- Film Posters of the '60s: The Essential Movies of the Decade by Tony Nourmand and Graham Marsh (editors), 1999
- Film Posters of the '70s: The Essential Movies of the Decade by Tony Nourmand and Graham Marsh (editors), 1999
To learn how to preserve your collection, visit this Web site:
