Over the years, original posters by various artists and of various genres have become collectible. There are many reasons why this is so.

Rarity is a factor. Sometimes a poster may have been printed as a small run for a particular purpose with limited use at the time. Conversely, they may have been made in such huge numbers that no-one could conceive of them being in any way 'precious' and were thrown away or destroyed leaving few intact, and in good condition for posterity!

Some items simply become collectible because of their content. They may be part of a series, about a certain subject or person, or be designed by a fashionable 'house'. They need not necessarily be very old.

Antique posters gain value both for their age and style and because printing methods and techniques are no longer in use. Many were designed by artists who have since become renowned for their work.

There are specialists in the many fields of collecting posters as the subject is very wide.

Care must be taken when having valuable or collectible posters framed. Conservation methods are strongly recommended.

Be sure to tell your framer that the poster is a collectors' item and that irreversable processes, such as dry-mounting, should not be used. Ask that acid free backing be placed behind the piece in order to protect it from harmful substances in the final backing of the frame. Any Mountboard or tapes used to keep the item in place should be of conservation quality and the minimum amount used to achieve the desired result.

There are several varieties of specialist glass available that help to reduce the effects of ultra-violet light. Thay are generally expensive and in any case exposure to direct sunlight or prolonged exposure to any strong light is to be avoided.

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