How To Extend The Life Of Your Vintage Posters

Vintage posters are always desirable to collect, given their rarity and popularity that cause their value to appreciate all the more. As with any other antique pieces, these posters should be given proper care and maintenance so that you can take pleasure in having them for a lifetime.

It is a given fact that damages are already imminent in vintage posters. These can range from little holes in the paper, to almost obscure prints due to yellow stains. The kind of paper that was used for these posters in the early years was very acidic. As time passes by, the paper gets drenched in too much acid, thus making the poster appear yellowish in color.

Some collectors are not open to the idea of doing any modifications to these posters aside from keeping them on their original state. However, let us keep in mind that when these posters were produced, they were not really intended to last for long. For this reason, collectors have managed to devise some restoration and preservation techniques in order to prolong their lives and not lose their value.

Acid washing is the process of removing the yellow tone off the paper. An alkaline-based solution is usually sprayed throughout the poster to balance out its color and lessen the yellowish shade that was brought about by too much acid. Vintage posters are also prone to some tearing along the folds. To prevent the poster from tearing apart, putting paper or linen at the back will definitely strengthen its hold.

The presence of holes and missing sections in the poster demands a larger amount of restoration. What the other collectors do is that they cut off some parts of another poster and patch it up to the missing part of the poster that is being restored. Oftentimes, lines would appear along the patch, and if this is the case, they would just put some paint in the area to cover the lines.

Other preservation techniques include those that do not require any physical alterations on the poster itself. Having it securely placed somewhere is also one way of assuring that the poster will not be exposed to elements such as dust, light and smoke. You have to ask yourself first if you just want to store the poster, or if you want to display it for the others to see.

When storing vintage posters, the casings that should be used must be acid-free, otherwise, the poster will not be protected from moisture and dust particles. Casings that contain acid invite more moisture that gradually weakens the paper. This rule also goes to vintage posters that are to be kept rolled-up, and in this case, acid-free cylinders and tubes must be used.

Preserving vintage posters properly cannot be stressed enough. We hope that this guide gives you better ideas to help maintain the original look of your posters as well as make it last longer than expected.