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Why you should start collecting vintage posters
Posted by Chris on 09/02/2024
They're eye-catching, they come with bags of character, and they bring a coolness to any room. But as investments go, many people overlook them for more classic antique and vintage collectibles.
Antiques.co.uk's owner Iain Brunt explores why you should include vintage travel, movie and music posters in your investment portfolio.
Most of us don’t remember the first produced movie, travel or music poster made…unless you happen to be over 128 years old.
And sadly they’re no longer produced – which makes them extremely collectable these days.
The 21st century sees us going totally digital so our collectible film and travel posters are becoming increasingly more rare – and more valuable.
> Explore our collection of vintage posters
In this article:
- What was the first film poster ever made?
- How much are vintage film posters worth?
- Vintage travel posters
- Vintage music concert posters
- Collecting vintage posters
- Get your vintage posters valued
What was the first film poster ever made?
The first poster for a specific film was based on an illustration by Marcellin Auzolle to promote the showing of the Lumiere Brothers film L'Arroseur arrosé at the Grand Café in Paris on December 26, 1895.
After that, in the early 1900s, posters were made and distributed by the National Screen Service (NSS). Cinemas returned the posters to the NSS, who regularly recycled them – by sending them back out to be used again at another theatre. Surprisingly, they stopped most of its printing and distribution operations in 1985.
Some of the posters which they had stored in warehouses around the United States ended up in the hands of private collectors and dealers.
Very rare posters after 1985 were hand painted in India Poland and Ghana. Watch out for these, as they’re highly collectable now.
Pictured: the first ever film poster, Lumiere Brothers film L'Arroseur arrosé at the Grand Café in Paris
How much are vintage film posters worth?
Today there's a thriving collectibles market in film posters, and some have become very valuable. The first auction by a major auction house solely of film posters occurred on December 11, 1990, when proceeds of a sale of 271 vintage posters run by Bruce Hershenson at Christie's totalled US$935,000.
The record price for a single poster was set on November 15, 2005, when $690,000 was paid for a poster of Fritz Lang's 1927 film Metropolis from the Reel Poster Gallery in London.
Other early horror and science fiction posters are known to bring extremely high prices as well, with an example from The Mummy realizing $452,000 in a 1997 Sotheby's auction, and posters from both Bride of Frankenstein and The Black Cat selling for $334,600 in Heritage Auctions, in 2007 and 2009, respectively.
Pictured: Last Tango In Paris Original One Sheet, 1972 film, £315 / $395
Vintage travel posters
Over recent years, the market for vintage travel posters has seen a huge increase in interest, with prices rising as demand increases. High-quality winter sports posters from the 1920s and 1930s can easily sell for large sums, with some going for up to £30,000.
Pictured: Vintage French Bugatti Art Deco poster, 1930s, £445 / $560
Posters have always been a powerful way to catch someone's eye and promote something quickly. This was especially true during the Art Deco era, a time when posters, mostly made by railway companies in Switzerland and France, were displayed in train stations and on large signs to attract people who had money and liked adventure, offering them a taste of the new and glamorous ways to travel.
Unfortunately, most of these iconic posters were thrown away when new ones were put up, leaving only a few behind. These rare survivors are now highly sought after and can command very high prices.
Pictured: Picasso Sculpture Original 1967 Tate Gallery Exhibition Poster, £195 / $245
Vintage music concert posters
It’s not all about travel and film – many auction houses believe that vintage concert posters are set for a big growth period.
Rare original concert posters have been popular with collectors for decades, but are often seen as more of a niche. However, they’re works of art in their own right, they capture an important moment in music history. And like music in general, they can hold strong memories and inspire nostalgia in collectors. They are almost always exceptionally rare.
Pictured: Decorative Art Screenprint, The Melvins, £1,195 / $1,505
An original 1966 Beatles Shea Stadium poster sold at Heritage Auctions in 2022 for a record $275,000. This was the fourth example of that poster to hit the market in the space of four years, with the first sale at $125,000 – so its value increased by well over 100% in between.
A 1966 Grateful Dead 'Skeleton & Roses' poster for two concerts at the Avalon Ballroom in San Francisco was described by an auctioneer, “this poster's popularity and value is soaring like a piece of fine European art.”
In August 2018 a near-mint condition copy sold at auction for $50,600. But by April 2022 another near-mint example sold for a record $137,500 – a 172% increase in value in less than four years!
> Explore our collection of vintage posters
Collecting vintage posters
What an easy and fascinating way to start collecting. They can adorn our walls, help us remember the great film stars and holiday destinations of the past, and importantly for the investor, also go up in value due to their rarity.
Like all antiques, they also hold so much more meaning and provenance than brand new, mass-produced posters. They look great in a nice contemporary frame too.
Pictured: 1970s James Bond poster collection, Narva-Tryckeriet, Stockholm, £2,049 / $2,585
Get your vintage posters valued
If you have one and want to know its value it’s easy – just send some details and photos to our team of experts. > Try it now