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Original Vintage and Antique Posters
Vintage Poster F.A.Q 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 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 posters first became popular in the late 1800's. The method of printing, stone lithography, was developed for 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 them 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 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 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 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. 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 posters to promote their own products or just to create an atmosphere pleasing to their clients and employees. Hotels and restaurants use vintage posters to enhance the ambiance of their establishments. Whether it be just one, or a full display of antique 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 them particularly in the United States. It is important to rely on a poster dealer that is both knowledgeable and reliable.