Investing in classic vintage posters really caught on during the latter
1970’s and has remained quite trendy ever since. Artistic prints, including
the ones done by Jules Cheret and Henri de Toulouse-Lautrec, were very stylish in those days and remain so today. The popularity of art deco prints also spiked at the same time and have remained fashionable. The originals, if they become available, are very pricey, so it is imperative to be able to recognize a genuine original.
Becoming knowledgeable about classical posters and how to access the value of such a print is an excellent way to start a collection of original prints. Although this is far from all inclusive, below are six of the
important points to consider when determining the value of a print. They include the printing technique, originality of the print, popularity of the painter, the popularity of the subject of the poster, the scarcity of the poster, and the condition of the poster.
Printing Technique
Prints produced around the latter 1800s and beginning 1900s were being produced with the printing style called “stone lithography.” These types of original prints have become very hard-to-find and incredibly high priced should they be genuine originals.
Stone lithography is a way of creating posters by putting color and
patterns on paper one at a time using porous stones. The process is started by using an acid solution to etch a design into a rock and is then followed by adding colored ink, which is then absorbed by the design into the stone.Then the stone is pressed onto some paper to place the design on the paper. This method was an extremely cumbersome way to produce a poster.
Following WWII cheaper and less cumbersome methods, like silk screen and photo offset techniques began to replace stone lithography.
In the poster market today these posters are usually less expensive than are those made by stone lithography. However, there are exceptions which include rare
find posters, those done by famous poster painters, those developed for
movies that became very popular, such as some Disney movies, some Swiss prints and some Japanese posters.
Originality of the Print
Original vintage prints are more expensive than are copies, even those which have been certified and numbered. Those prints created by stone lithography only have one original. Each one had to be created separately, making them the most unique and therefore the most valuable.
Popularity of the Painter
Prints crafted by famous artists are very pricey. The ones by Toulouse-Lautrec have become especially treasured, because he lead the way for making classical posters thought of as fine art. Subsequently other artists began to embark upon producing posters, including:
- Adolphe Mouron Cassandre
- Angelo Cesselon
- Jules Cheret
- Beautiful Angle
- Michael Byrne
- Milton Glaser
- Mark Young
- Favianna Rodrigues
The Popularity of the Subject
The kind of poster produced somewhat depends on the theme associated with the poster. A few favorite topics are bicycles, vehicles, especially old cars, well-known political slogans and even ladies. The subject for a poster collection is usually selected by the interests of the hobbyist as well as the period of time during which they were produced.
The Scarcity of the Print
A print which was produced in a special edition or is a unique one may be extremely expensive. Some of these originals are in museums and only reprints are available to private collectors. The opportunity to purchase this type of print should be carefully researched, because it may not be an original. Also posters that were released in a limited edition are also incline to be expensive. It is not always possible to determine the number or copies of a print that were originally released unless they are signed and specifically numbered.
Condition of the Print
A print that looks in prime condition has more value than one which shows signs of faded colors along with other indications of wear and tear. Usually well cared for prints have been meticulously framed and carefully stored.
When acquiring antique posters, it is really essential that you understand how to look at a poster properly so you do not pay an excessive amount to get a poster that really should not be marketed for a top price.
It is wise to study books about vintage poster collecting before spending any money on posters themselves.
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