Even the most modern of homes with up to date, 21st century décor, design and furniture will benefit from some antique pieces on display. The contrast between the old and the new, invoke within us many varied feelings and can add a sense of “home” and tradition to even the most modern of environments. Indeed, many people feel that having antiques on display give a room an ambience and a warmth that is unattainable by any other means.

Antiques for all

I realize that many people think that antique furniture is something that is out of their reach financially. Whilst it is true that some pieces can fetch prices in the thousands, even tens of thousands of dollars, it is possible to own a beautiful antique for a reasonable price. What’s more, it isn’t always the age or size of a piece that determines its price. It is possible to find furniture that is over 100 years old but still at a price that most of can afford.

A number of factors together determine the final price for antique furniture:

Age – a piece over 100 years old is officially an antique, but even pieces just 50 years old are today sold as antiques.

Rarity – the more examples there are of a particular piece or style of furniture, the lower the price

Condition and patina – a well looked after, undamaged item will fetch much more than a damaged one or one with, for example, wood worm. Similarly, the patina, only acquired after years of use is also significant in determining prices.

Association – where the piece came from, who owned it previously and its history can also contribute to its market value.

Most importantly, only buy your furniture froma recognized and reputable dealer. A skilled carpenter can take a reproduction and make it look, to the unskilled eye, as if it is a genuine antique. If you buy from a reputable dealer you have the certainty of knowing that the piece you’re laying out your hard earned cash for is genuine and not a fake.

Let’s face it, the cost of redecorating and restyling just one room in your home is high, which means that it’s not something you can afford to do every couple of months. But there is a way to change your décor and give your home a completely different atmosphere, and at a relatively low cost when compared to decorating.

Artwork as a style statement

Vintage posters are a great way to instantly change the look and feel of any room. They add style and color and instantly give the room an ambience that a professional decorator would charge a fortune for. What’s more, you can build up a collection of genuine vintage posters either around a particular theme or a variety of themes for a price that will enable you to “mix and match” and reinvent your room whenever you have the urge.

There are so many styles and themes available to choose from – travel, transport, cosmetics, food and, of course, the movies – both silent and talkies. Many of these amazing, mass produced, works of art are by well known artists who, at some time during their careers used their skills and their genius to supplement their income. Whatever your interests, you are sure to find a wide range of pieces that will fit the bill.

Things to look for

Now I don’t mean styles or artists, but rather what you should be aware off when making a purchase.

• Only buy from a recognized and trusted dealer. In the digital age, nothing is easier than producing a reprint that looks 100% genuine. When you but from a reputable dealer, you do so with security.

• Examine the paper for signs of rips or repairs as they will affect the value. Especially examine the corners and the outside edges of the piece as these are areas prone to damage.

• Also, examine the print carefully for signs of color fading. If it’s in a frame, ask to have it removed so that you can compare the hidden edges with the main area.

• Always have your purchases framed and hang them out of direct sunlight to avoid fading. If you store anything, then do in its frame or between acid free tissue paper in a secure and dark environment – that way you preserve the quality.

So there you have it, in a nutshell, use vintage posters to instantly transform your home and at the fraction of the cost a complete makeover would cost.

Preserving your antiques

The fact that a 300 year old piece of antique furniture survived is a minor miracle. But did you know that you can, without being aware of it, destroy that miracle in just a few short years? Or let’s take the case of a classic art deco poster for Pears Soap. Vibrant colors, a beautiful piece of 1930′s artwork that can, if you exhibit or store it badly, fade away in just a couple of years.

For example, wooden furniture and especially antique furniture should never be placed in a dry environment or next to central hearting. The lack of moisture will cause the wood to dry out, warp, crack and can cause irreparable damage. Antique and vintage posters should always be stored flat, never rolled up and when displayed, never in direct sunlight which will cause the colors to fade.

Securing your antiques

Sadly, the world is not a perfect place, and the antique furniture or vintage posters that you paid good money for, somebody else will eager to steal from you given half the chance. So, if your collection is valuable, you have to take measures to protect it from theft – bars, locks, burglar alarms, and security systems – whatever is consistent with your antique collections value.

If  in doubt – consult the dealer

Your antiques dealer is not only there to sell you items for your collection. He can also provide you with valuable information regarding the best way to preserve and protect your valuable acquisitions. He has to deal, on a day to day basis with preserving the items he has for sale in the best possible condition, because the condition of antiques or vintage art posters is a vital part of its final price. Talk to him, ask his advice and listen carefully to what he has to say. He has a vested interest in giving you the best possible information because his reputation depends on it.

Theoretically, antiques are defined as being any objects that are at least 100 years old – furniture, machinery or even vintage art deco posters. However, in recent years, the term “antiques” has also begun to be used for artifacts that may even be only 30 -40 years old such as toys from the 1950′s or 1960′s, vinyl records by the Beatles or the Rolling Stones and even Poole Pottery or Wickford Glass produced but a few decades ago.

Finding genuine antique furniture

We live in a digital age; eBay, Amazon and numerous on-line sites that advertise a vast range of merchandise for sale. Many sites also offer antiques such as furniture, art deco posters or art posters for sale and at remarkably reasonable prices. The problem is that you have no way of examining the items or of verifying their age and authenticity. So if you buy antiques on-line, you run a very real risk of buying what can, at the best, be a very good reproduction and at worst, a complete rip off.

Buy from reputable antiques dealers and auction houses

The first, second and foremost rule when buying antiques whether on-line or in person is to buy only from reputable antiques dealers and auction houses. If you specialize in movie star memorabilia or vintage art deco posters, then buy from dealers that specialize in such items. A dealer has a lot to lose by selling fake goods. His success depends on his reputation and he will make no small effort to ensure that his items, furniture, art posters, memorabilia are verified genuine.

If in doubt, get a second opinion

When buying your antiques, if you have any doubts about a particular piece, ask the dealer or auction house if you can bring in your own expert for a second opinion. If you are buying a vintage art poster for a couple of hundred dollars or the hat worn by a B-movie western cowboy, then the expense of bringing in your own expert may not be worthwhile, but if you are buying a mint condition London Underground art deco poster for thousands of dollars or an antique dresser from the court of Louise the 14th (the Sun King), then getting another, expert opinion is not a bad idea.

Art deco posters started life in the 1920′s as advertising posters for a huge range of products and services. In an age where there was no television, few cinemas and radio still in its infancy, the poster became an important advertising medium. What made these now antiques unique was the influence of the art deco movement, and the rapidly developing industrial and commercial world following the end of the First World War. Coupled with new artistic and printing techniques, this led to the development of what have become vintage posters (often created by some of the leading artist of the era) that whilst exuding the vibrancy and the innovation of that era, are still as attractive and relevant today in the 21st century.

Art Deco Posters – something for everybody

Despite the years that have passed since their inception, art deco posters are eagerly sought out today both by antiques collectors and those seeking for a different way to decorate their homes. The market for art Deco Posters is growing by leaps and bounds and with it an ever increasing number of dealers and galleries specializing in this area of expertise.

Most antiques collectors tend to concentrate on a advertising field, specific companies or even artists. In this article we will examine some of the more popular collection fields.

Art Deco Shipping Posters

Following the “Great War”, travel on luxurious ocean liners was the fad. Many fine artists, including Cassandre, one of the most famous art posters designers, produced some amazing travel posters extolling the virtues of specific liners and destinations. Posters, such as that of the “S.S Normendie” are much sought after and mint examples can be very expensive.

Travel and Recreation

The technological spurt and the desire for modernism also spawned a whole range of vintage posters devoted to travel and leisure. Famous examples include those of the London Transport System and many posters exhibiting the playgrounds of the rich and famous

Entertainment

Entertainment is a major part of our lives, and art posters mirror the hits of the age, theatre, music hall, jazz and the rapidly developing new “motion picture” industry. Today, movie posters are highly collectable and command very high prices.

Tobacco and alcohol

In the 30′s, smoking and drinking were considered “chic” and many, many classic art deco posters are devoted to tobacco and alcohol. Even though, in today’s society, these habits are frowned upon, the appeal and beauty of these posters lives on.

Obviously, there are many more areas where art posters came into their own. What is important, when deciding to collect vintage posters, is to decide on an area that you want to specialize in and, above all, only buy from recognized and reputable dealers who can guarantee the quality and authenticity of their posters.

Art Deco Posters – something for every home

Art Deco Posters are especially popular amongst both avid collectors and those seeking to give the style of their home a different twist. The fact that these “new antiques” were so important during the 1930′s as an advertising medium, means that many were designed by leading artists and printed in many hundreds, sometimes thousands of copies. Many oif the imaged these classic vintage posters depict have become icons and are now considered to be examples of art posters and not just advertising bill boards.

Finding genuine, antique, art deco posters

The fact that vintage posters were “mass produced” presents a problem for the collector. Modern technology is such, that it is possible to produce art poster reproductions that are indistinguishable from the original. So, how do you protect yourself and your investment when you are looking for new antique art deco posters for your collection or seeking to start a collection?

* Buy from reputable dealers or auction houses. These sources will have closely examined and investigated their vintage posters so that you can be secure in the knowledge that what is advertised as a genuine art deco poster from the 1920′s – 30′s is just that.

* Check for wear and tear on the art poster being offered for sale. Rarely, if ever, after over 80 years, will you find a genuine, mint condition, antique poster. If it looks to new, then either ask to see conformation of authenticity and then check it out. You work too hard for your money to throw it away on expensive reproductions.

* Investigate the history of a particular poster. There are disreputable artists that are producing brand new art deco posters and selling them on as antiques.

Protecting your investment

Once you have purchased an antique art deco poster, you need to preserve and protect it. Firstly, always display your vintage posters framed and in glare resistant glass. Never have them displayed in direct sunlight as this can cause colors and paper to degrade. If you need to store your art posters, either store them in their frames or flat, covered and protected by tissue paper, away from sunlight and in a clean environment. Never, never fold or roll them up!!! When handling your antique posters, always wear fine cotton gloves so that the oils and the dirt from your hands are not transferred to the poster.

Following these simple rules and guidelines will enable you to enjoy your collection of art deco posters for many years to come.

Artist; Firmin Bouisset (1859-1925).

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Few people will argue with the fact that Charlie Chaplin was a cinematic genius. Even today, his 88 films and the lovable but sad character of the lonely tramp he created are watched and enjoyed by millions the world over. They carry a universal message, wrapped up in a comic interface, that there is hope, that the weak can triumph over the forces ranged against him.

Chaplin’s career as an entertainer began at the age of five in 1894 when he appeared on stages of London music halls. Over the next 80 years, Chaplin was to star in some 88 films, direct over 70, write screenplays, compose music and become one of the most prolific and influential creators in the developing world of cinema. He embraced and brought the silent movie to new heights and moved on to bring to the new world of “talking movies” his own unique perspective.

Chaplin’s universality, the timelessness of his movies and their relevance even today at the start of the second decade of the 21st century, continue to interest and intrigue people from all walks of life, and provide fertile ground for those of us who are Chaplin fans and also avid collectors.

“The Tramp” vintage posters

One area that has caught the attention of Chaplin aficionados is that of classic vintage posters that were used to advertise movies both at the cinema and other public places. Even though mass produced in their hundreds, sometimes thousands, these vintage posters have become items avidly sought after by fans of “The Tramp” and collectors of Chaplin memorabilia.

In many cases, the vintage posters themselves are works of art that provide an insight into the period and Chaplin’s creativity and genius.

Reproductions of Chaplin’s vintage posters continue to be best sellers, but the interest in the original posters has spawned a vigorous market with rare, mint condition vintage posters fetching some very high prices. Many of these classic posters are displayed in art galleries around the world and are often the subject of special exhibitions.

One such exhibition of classic Chaplin vintage posters was held recently at the Perry vintage posters gallery in Tel Aviv. The 30 posters exhibited provided visitors with a unique window into a world long gone, but that has something that is still relevant today.

Almost all art has a value. The same is true of vintage posters – but just as with pieces of art, not every painting is a Picasso, not every piece of sculpture is a Henry Moore. This does not affect the value of the piece in the eyes of the viewer. If you like a certain art deco poster then even if bought for just a couple of dollars, its value to you in incalculable.

However, if you are a collector of art posters, then you know only too well that it is vital to be able to assess the financial value of any vintage poster you are considering acquiring.

We have set out her a few tips to help the beginning collector navigate his way through the quagmire of vintage art posters. Even if you are an old hand, you may well find something new, so read on.

Tips to value your treasure

Age: Age does not always guarantee a vintage posters value – but it can be a contributing factor when taken alongside the other considerations that we mention here. Obviously, the older the vintage posters, the more liable they are to not meet the highest standards demanded by collectors which determine an individual piece’s value.

Condition: Condition is everything! The better the condition, the higher the value! This is true of all art and the entire world of collecting. A mint condition art deco poster that is available in a fair number of copies could well be worth more than a very rare art poster that is severely damaged – torn, creased, discolored or stained.

Demand: If you have a perfect example of very rare vintage posters, but no one wants to buy them then their value is reduced to rock bottom. The one encouraging thing is that demand is volatile – what no one wants today, might be in great demand in a few years. So patience!

Quantity: By their very nature, vintage posters are mass produced. So, the number of examples available has a great influence on the value.

School of Art: In a way, this is associated with demand as certain schools of art may be more popular than others and therefore have a greater influence on the value of vintage posters.

Artist: Also a volatile factor that changes with time. Vintage posters by an in-demand artist will have a higher value than a similar poster by someone else.

Subject: Many collectors specialize in certain subjects. Vintage posters that are in good condition and of a subject that is popular with collectors can also increase in value.

We hope that this information has been helpful. To find out more you can visit Perry Gallery on Ben Yeuda 104, Tel Aviv.

Vintage posters are works of art! True, they may not be original oil paintings, but by any standards a vintage poster is as valid a piece of art as Dali (But perhaps a bit cheaper!). Over the past decade, the interest in vintage posters has been steadily growing. Museums that once exhibited only original pieces now recognize that art posters have a place in their collections. The world of art has realized that vintage posters are a piece of social commentary, just like a Picasso or a Rembrandt. Offering a fascinating glimpse into a world that our grandparents knew but for us is history, they evoke in almost all who view them a deep and meaningful reaction.

Vintage posters – accessible to everybody

Unlike traditional art, vintage posters were art for the masses. Original paintings and drawing, often by famous and talented artists, reproduced in quantity for display in shops, cinemas and other public places. Not only were they reproduced in quantity, but the number of vintage posters designed and then printed runs into numbers that traditional oil on canvas art cannot compete with.

This, in part, is what sparked off the new and growing interest in art posters: their accessibility both in numbers and the conception that they characterize folk art of a bygone era that the ordinary “man in the street” can relate to at eye level. At the same time having such a versatile subject matter gives the buyer a chance to choose a subject close to his heart and interest.

You don’t find works of art at the corner store

Today, classic vintage posters are on exhibition at many of the world’s leading museums and art galleries like Victoria and Albert museum in London and The Moma in New York. Specialist museums such as those dealing with the motion picture or the history of advertising will also have specific collections of poster on display.

Another venue where art posters can increasingly be seen, are the art galleries of art dealers that can be found in almost all major cities. These galleries, such as the Perry Gallery in Tel Aviv, offer a unique opportunity to view some of our folk history one on one. These small galleries are less intimidating that the larger museums and art galleries and also offer the visitor a service you won’t find elsewhere – if you fall in love with some vintage posters – you can take them home with you for a price far less than you would pay for a lithograph by Chagall or Picasso.