Vintage Posters - What are they? Where do they come from?
The images that we display are
generally at least 50 years old and originated mostly
in Europe. They were used to advertise all manner
of things - foods, liquors, entertainment, travel,
and others. The vintage posters were commissioned
by the advertisers, using the best commercial artists
of the day. Some of those artists are now very well
known, having started as posterists. Henri de Toulouse
- Lautrec is perhaps the most famous of many great
poster artists. The colorful advertising vintage posters
first became popular in the late 1800's. The method
of printing, stone lithography, was developed for
vintage posters in Paris by Jules Cheret. It was an
exciting artform that brought out colors and graphics
that were now available for all the people to see.
The kiosks on the streets, the sides of building,
and the interior of stores and restaurants were all
used to display these exciting new posters.
Vintage Posters - Who collects
them ? What makes Vintage Posters valuable?
The collecting of Vintage Posters
was started with the first distribution of the posters
themselves. Some art dealers believed they could sell
these "advertising" pieces to their customers.
They sought out the poster artists and the printers
in an effort to secure some over runs. Some dealers
and collectors went so far as to remove the posters
from their outdoor displays. However, it must be remembered
that most of the vintage posters were destroyed in
actual use. They were mounted on walls and merely
discarded or ripped away when the next new image became
available. While the Vintage Posters were originally
produced in editions that numbered in the hundreds,
and sometimes thousands, few survive in their original
state. The lithographer's stones did not normally
survive past their first printing.
It is the combination of rarity
of a poster, condition, artist, and the image itself
that will determine the final selling price of an
individual poster. Some people purchase Vintage Posters
with a specific subject matter , some are looking
to work with a particular color scheme, while others
prefer the style of a particular artist. At all times,
the better the condition of a poster the higher its
price. The size of the piece does not always determine
the value of a poster.
As a reflection of price changes,
consider today's marketplace where images relating
to coffee and cigar smoking are rising much quicker
that the less popular Vintage Posters promoting furs.
With limited supply available in collectors' hands,
a quick pickup in demand reflects in the selling prices.
Vintage Posters - Where are they used?
Vintage posters are used in
many different ways. In the home many people use these
striking images as the focal point of a room , often
the livingroom or family room but also the
kitchen and bedroom as well. Vintage Posters are used
prominently in television shows' decor - notice the
livingroom in "Friends", Frasier,
as well as in many movies. In an office setting the
poster can be used in a lobby as well as in conference
and showrooms. Some businesses use the Vintage Posters
to promote their own products or just to create an
atmosphere pleasing to their clients and employees.
Hotels and restaurants use our
Vintage Posters to enhance the ambiance of their establishments.
Whether it be just one, or a full display of Vintage
Posters they lend themselves to a room setting where
people are having a good time.
The popularity of these antique
images has grown enormously in the past 10 years.
Few dealers specialize in Vintage Posters particularly
in the United States. It is important to rely on a
Vintage Poster dealer that is both knowledgeable and
reliable.
