The Secret to Finding the Best Vintage Posters

Even in modern households, posters and other forms of vintage art are common decorative pieces that bring taste and sophistication to any setting . Even the younger generations appreciate the look of vintage posters for their classic look and unique content. Highly coveted in the collecting world, items such as vintage travel posters, vintage movie posters, vintage French posters, and vintage Japanese beer posters can be extremely rare and cost a pretty penny.

Before diving headfirst into the world of vintage posters, there are a few ways to go about approaching the topic:

• Determine the type of vintage poster you want to buy. The collectibles span a number of different topics and time periods, so take into consideration the type of decorating style you're going for.
• Decide whether you are simply using the vintage posters to decorate a room or if you plan on making a hobby out of collecting them. Reprints of vintage posters are relatively inexpensive and can be found all over the place, while original copies go for quite a bit of money.

If you're thinking of entering the world of collectible vintage posters, there are a few things to remember and some tips on how to find real items that are both classically appealing and can become a wise investment. Determining the price of a vintage poster depends on a few things:

Printing Method - Most of the early vintage posters from the 1880s to the 1930s were crafted using a time consuming method involving stone lithography. Each color on the piece was drawn or painted into a separate slab of porous stone. The design was then fixed onto the stone with acid, and fresh ink was applied to the stone and absorbed into the fixed areas. Once the design was on the stone, it was pressed onto the paper through and left to dry. Each color was done with an individual stone, and the vibrancy of color as well as the texture achieved by this process is still unsurpassed.

Originality - This is pretty consistent in the world of collectibles. Posters that display their own aspect of originality will be worth more than their common counterparts. Due to the lengthy process described above, there is generally only one legitimate copy of each vintage poster. Many vintage posters have been redone using different techniques over the years, and some authorized reprints can be worth money. For the most part, the reprints are produced in mass volumes and are worth little to collectors.

Artist - As with any work of art, the artist producing the work comes into play while determining the price. Some famous vintage poster artists including French artists like Toulouse-Lautrec, Alphonse Mucha, and Jules Cheret as well as those from the Art Deco period such as Cassandre and Fix-Masseau's works fetch the highest prices. Their original works are extremely rare, making them some of the most sought after collectors items on the planet.

Content - Certain topics of vintage posters have become more valuable. Automobiles, ships, and skiing are some of the most popular vintage travel poster designs and share a similar price to vintage movie posters. Many of these trends in price coincide with cultural trends, which can give one a good idea of what to expect as far as the popular vintage poster topics.

Condition - Another constant in the world of collecting, an item's condition largely dictates its price in the secondary market. Rare original copies of posters are allowed to be in worse condition due to their uncommon nature, but authorized reproductions don't have that luxury. Vintage poster conditions are generally ranked from grades A to D depending on their condition. These rankings are completely subjective to the appraiser.

Buying vintage posters used to be quite the challenge before the invention of the Internet, but there are still a few places to try before going crazy on every online poster gallery. Depending on what type of vintage poster you are looking for, there may be other outlets offering the same products for a cheaper price. Due to the wide variety of vintage posters, i.e. travel posters, propaganda, movie posters, beer posters, vintage Japanese posters, French posters, and so on, collectors generally stay within a certain scope. This makes your collection more interesting to individuals with similar interests and keeps your collecting focused and less complicated.

• If you're looking for a vintage movie poster, you might want to check video rental places. Old movie posters are sometimes leftover, and some will even sell vintage movie posters aside from letting you rent movies. It might also be beneficial to check for smaller rental places near you as they might have a more niche collection than the big name places. However, both are worth checking out.
• Try local auctions or Ebay. Auctions are often the best place to get deals on items. Many art auctions across the globe feature reprinted or original vintage posters making them a great place to start looking. Ebay may also be a good place to find the item you're looking for as it encompasses the entire world. Just make sure you've thoroughly researched what you want to make sure it's the right item.
• Check local garage sales for some diamonds in the rough. People constantly hear stories of individuals finding a vintage item at a garage sale, the people not knowing how much the item is worth. Chances are that you won't find the rare Cassandre original print, but you might find some great deals on replicas or authorized reprints perfect for decorating.
• Visit art galleries in your area and see if they have any pieces for sale. This is more for collectors, as the pieces will likely be a little pricier, but there are times where galleries will sell high quality vintage posters for the right price.