Menu
AutoMobilia Resource
  • Home
  • Subscribe
  • Writers
  • Magazine
    • Digital Mag
    • Test Drive
    • Read Articles
  • Holiday Gift Guide
    • AutoMobilia Holiday Gift Guide 2024
  • Events
  • Classifieds
  • Store
  • Advertise
  • Email SignUp
  • Contact
  • Home
  • Subscribe
  • Writers
  • Magazine
    • Digital Mag
    • Test Drive
    • Read Articles
  • Holiday Gift Guide
    • AutoMobilia Holiday Gift Guide 2024
  • Events
  • Classifieds
  • Store
  • Advertise
  • Email SignUp
  • Contact

Conserving Authenticity

3/1/2019

0 Comments

 
Mar/Apr 2019 edition
Issue #4 AutoMobilia Resource Magazine
Tony Singer
The one consistent line of questioning from both seasoned collectors, and the new purchaser is: preservation of the poster.
The assumption is that a poster under consideration is “collectible”, having a good market value, and worthy of the investment of proper conservation techniques and possible framing.  
​
The aim of preservation of the poster is to retain its authenticity as well as condition and color in the best manner consistent with current archival practices established and practiced world-wide.  That “standard” is professional archival linen mounting. This method uses a water-based adhesive to affix the poster to acid free paper, which has already been like-wise affixed to linen. This should only be done by an expert in the field.  It is a readily reversible process, but why one would wish to do this eludes me. 
1938_12HeursdeParisPosterBEFORE
BEFORE - Time-worn condition 1938 poster. Note thewrinkles from humidity.
1938_12HeuresDeParisPosterAFTER
AFTER - Professionally archival linen-mounted.
This new setting for the poster provides an extremely stable environment that allows handling, rolling, shipping, and framing without damage, as well as avoiding the wrinkles from humidity. The      “12 Hours Paris” poster photos show the poster before and after linen. Professional linen mounting costs will vary based upon size, and any restoration required. The basic mounting charge runs from about $75 to $250 depending upon size.

The polar opposite of this is a practice used mainly in the 1960-1980s called “dry mounting”.  For a “collectible” poster it is a near-death experience.  Why? Unlike linen, this process uses a solvent based adhesive, heat and pressure to permanently affix the poster to foam-core or some other type of stiff backer.  As a general statement, it reduces the value by 75%.  There is no guarantee of being able to un-do this nor what effect it will have on the poster itself. I might add that dry mounting of any collectible prints (lithographs and serigraphs) also kills their value.
​
Should one wish to now frame the poster, there are a few directions worth giving to your quality framer.  One is, to only use ‘archival’ [acid free] materials and the other is to use UV treated glass [if relatively small] or plexiglass [a matt or some other spacer should be employed to prevent the poster from touching the glass or plexi]. This will help reduce the damage from light that interacts with your poster. 

​Another issue worth addressing is light itself.  A bright and sunny location, while lovely, is far from ideal for your poster.  As most were printed 40 or more years ago, with inks, which were not the world’s most light-stable type. Doing whatever you can to protect the poster will give you years of pleasure instead of ending up with a washed-out image.
1970McQueenDrivesPorsche12HoursSebringPosterFADED
1970 McQueen Drives Porsche 12Hours Sebring Poster which is FADED - Due to light exposure.
1970McQueenDrivesPorsche12HoursSebringPosterPRIMO
1970 McQueen Drives Porsche 12Hours Sebring Poster which is PRIMO - This poster was kept in UV light free conditions, retaining its beauty and its value.
The “McQueen Drives Porsche” photos are a fine example of what a pristine poster looks like, and one which has had excessive light exposure/damage.  There is nothing that can bring back the lost color, and the values are significantly affected. The light effected McQueen poster would have cost around $120 to linen mount.
If your environment has windows, I would suggest contacting someone who is actively involved with 99%+ UV film application for household windows. This material, by 3M and others, is a miracle!  It reduces the damaging UV light which trashes furniture, carpets, floors, and posters…. 
​
Please feel free to contact me with questions, comments, etc.
Tony Singer

To read more great columns like this one from automotive poster expert Tony Singer...
Subscribe to AutoMobilia Resource

subscribe!
0 Comments
    Tony Singer Posters
    Tony Singer

    Vintage Auto Posters

    Tony Singer, the owner of Vintage Auto Posters and Automobilia Monterey International Expo writes about finding, preserving and collecting Vintage Auto Posters.
    ​
    [email protected]
    VintageAutoPosters.com
    AutomobiliaMonterey.com

    Archives

    October 2021
    June 2021
    February 2021
    October 2020
    January 2020
    March 2019
    January 2019
    November 2018
    September 2018

    Categories

    All
    24 Heures De Mans Poster
    Alexis Kow
    Alex Kow
    Geo Ham
    Geo Ham Posters
    Georges Hamel
    Grand Prix Poster
    McQueen Drives Porsche
    Mille Miglia
    Monaco Grand Prix Poster
    Prix De Paris
    Racing Poster
    Tony Singer
    Vintage Auto Posters

    RSS Feed

Home
Writers
Articles
Digital Mag
Events
Gift Guide

Subscribe
Classifieds
​Store
Advertise

Contact
Privacy Policy

Automobilia Resource LLC
1217 Cape Coral Pkwy East #178
Cape Coral, Florida 33904
Main office: 954-579-5280
Subscriptions: 224-558-8955
Picture
Copyright © 2025     Automobilia Resource LLC.     All Rights Reserved