The Art of Poster Collecting

by Marty Weil 

 

 

For poster collectors like Charles Green III, the greatest challenge is finding poster lithographs to add to his collection. Charles collects magic posters, but the challenge applies to posters of all types, such as movie, concert, and boxing posters. A poster, by definition, is any large piece of printed paper designed to be attached to a wall or vertical surface. The common thread among the majority of collectible posters is that they were originally designed and printed for advertising or promotional purposes. However, posters were also printed for other purposes such as education and propaganda.

 

When it comes to collecting vintage posters, the competition is fierce for rare items with strong graphics. In recent years, the price of vintage posters in many categories has increased dramatically, and people with posters are reluctant to sell them. “At auctions, posters which are uncommon seem to go for outlandish sums,” says Greene. “My guiding principle is to be patient and try not to overspend on a poster. Recently, I told a major poster collector that I was thinking about spending too much for a poster. I told him that I might not have the opportunity to buy it again. He inquired about my age. He is 30 years my senior. He assured me that I'd see the poster image in the future, and at a better price. His council was to simply wait. I'm working on applying that lesson.”

 

As Greene’s point illustrates, posters are one of the most prized and sought-after collectibles in the world of ephemera (transitory written and printed matter, not intended to be retained or preserved). Today, posters are recognized as a desirable art form— expressing the many artistic periods such as Art Nouveau, Art Deco, and Modernism. Posters are available in wide variety of colors, designs, and sizes, although the conventional size for graphical posters tends to be 24 x 36 inches. Much smaller printed advertisements are typically known as handbills or flyers. A close cousin of posters are broadsides, a large sheet of paper, generally printed on one side and folded into a smaller size. Broadsides were often used as direct-mail pieces, displayed on public bulletin boards, or used for door-to-door distribution.

 

With original vintage poster prices rising, some collectors have turned to reissues or re-releases of posters. While it is a good way for collectors who don’t have a lot of money to own a poster from a favorite movie or performance, it should be noted that these posters are often less colorful and do not have the collectible value of the original.

 

The world of posters is broad. Many poster collectors, like Greene, specialize in a certain type of poster, usually by subject matter. For anyone interested in learning more about posters, the following books should be consulted: Scientist’s Guide to Poster Presentations by Peter Gosling; A Century of Movie Posters by Emily King, Up Against the Wall by Ian Noble; and Power of the Poster by Margaret Timmers.

 

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