A few items you should know

Before you think of starting a movie poster collection, there are a few things you should be aware of. Vintage Movie posters were never meant to be collected by the public, they were neither mass produced nor mass merchandised. They were hung inside or outside the theater to advertise movies that were coming soon or now showing. Because they weren't mass produced, these posters were often shipped from one theater to the next until they fell apart from overuse or got sent back to the poster exchange for destruction.

If a poster was made before 1990 they were folded, this does not decrease the value of the poster. These posters were folded when delivered to theatres. Before 1980, U.S. posters were made in a variety of sizes. A one-sheet poster measures 27" x 41" the size of a regular movie poster. An insert is 14" x 36". The artwork depicted on these is usually the same as on the one-sheet poster. Three sheet posters are 41" x 81". This is approximately three times the size of a one-sheet and usually printed in two sections. A half-sheet is printed with credits and artwork that run horizontally. Other sizes include 6-sheets, (81x81 inches) printed in four sections and even 24 sheets (104x232 inches). For smaller venues with less exhibition space, the studios manufactured window cards (14x22 inches) and of course, lobby cards (11x14 inches).

In some cases, foreign posters have different graphics than their American counterparts, particularly during the 1950's. At that time American posters were done mostly in photomontage, while foreign posters had beautiful artwork. A lot of them signed by such great artists as Mascii, Soubie Grinnson, Casaro, Ballester, Frattini, and Gorka just to name a few. Larger foreign poster were also produced on single sheet paper measuring 39x55 - 47x63.

While each studio was developing their own style and design of movie poster, the National Screen Service (NSS) gradually undertook the distribution of advertising (NSS' date code and production release number on movie posters has since become a indispensable verification for collectors). The NSS number is usually located in the lower right hand corner along the border of the poster.

Movie posters sometime require professional linen backing and restoration. Linen backing is a process than can both enhance the movie poster and add value to your collection. It can repair holes, dirt, tears, and stains and make fold lines virtually disappear. The process begins with washing the poster in detergents designed to remove dirt, stains and marks. Most posters are then chemically bleached to repair those areas damaged due to water and mildew. The bleaching also serves to brighten the poster's appearance. Using an archival paste, the poster is mounted to acid-free Japanese rice paper, which, in turn, is mounted onto fabric. The last step is painting. The amount of painting required is determined by the extent of poster damage, if any. This can range from simple touch-up to painting entire missing sections. In most instances painting is only required to repair small marks and fold lines.

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