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1940s Movie Posters For Sale on 1stDibs
How Much are 1940s Movie Posters?
Finding the Right Posters for You
Add a welcome personal touch to your space and tie your distinctive interior scheme together by introducing antique and vintage posters to any and every room of your home.
In the late 19th century, following the advent of text-heavy posters printed from woodblocks for use in taverns and shop windows, hand-drawn poster art had become commonplace in regions such as France, England and the United States. Well-known illustrators were commissioned to produce decorative posters to advertise political campaigns, theatrical events, books, household goods and other items. Early poster artists used a printmaking technique called lithography, which sees drawings or paintings created on a stone (or metal) surface with an oil-based substance, such as a greasy crayon or tusche (an oily wash). The image is eventually affixed to the surface by means of a chemical reaction, and ink adheres to certain sections of the surface while non–image areas are made to repel the ink.
If you wanted a color lithograph in the early days, the number of stones prepared had to match the number of colors you commissioned for the poster. French painter Jules Chéret, widely known as the father of the modern poster, designed some of history's most popular lithographic posters that featured color. Today, Chéret’s art is highly collectible, along with original works by Czech painter and decorative artist Alphonse Mucha, whose posters advertising theatrical productions helped define Art Nouveau.
Over time, poster artists transitioned to more advanced techniques. Using silkscreens, woodblocks and photolithography, painters and illustrators printed larger quantities at a faster rate.
If you’ve finally tracked down that vintage movie poster, mid-century modern promotional travel poster or other work and you’re looking to find out if it is valuable, distinguishing between an original poster and a reproduction can be complicated. A professional appraiser can work with you on factors such as rarity, assessing the physical condition of your poster and authenticating your piece. For now, take care of your new acquisition because conserving posters is essential in helping them retain their value. A practical conservation method is to have the work mounted on archival, acid-free paper and thin artist’s canvas, then enclosing it in a sturdy frame. (And here is a primer on how to hang wall art, be it arranged gallery-style or otherwise.)
On 1stDibs, find all kinds of posters for your home today.
- What is the rarest movie poster?1 Answer1stDibs ExpertApril 12, 2024While no one knows for sure which of the thousands of movie posters that have been produced is the rarest, certain ones have fetched high prices at auctions due to their rarity. Many are from classic horror films, such as 1931's Frankenstein, 1933's King Kong and 1934's The Black Cat. Other prized posters include those for 1933's Flying Down to Rio and 1927's Metropolis. A version of the latter sold for a record-setting $690,000 in 2005. On 1stDibs, explore a selection of movie posters.
- How do I find old movie posters?1 Answer1stDibs ExpertApril 5, 2022To find old movie posters, you can attend flea markets and auctions or look at secondhand shops in your area. Some art dealers sell them and they are among the inventory of various reputable online platforms. Find a collection of vintage movie posters on 1stDibs.
- 1stDibs ExpertApril 5, 2022To tell if a movie poster is vintage, look at it through a loupe or magnifying glass. Older posters were created through a process that applies a solid color to the paper. Reproductions are often produced by a method that uses visible pixels. The size of the poster may also be a giveaway. Research to determine the known sizes of that particular poster will help in your research. Shop a large collection of vintage movie posters from some of the world’s top sellers on 1stDibs.
- What is a 1940s style dress?1 Answer1stDibs ExpertOctober 5, 2021The most popular 1940s-style dress was the shirtwaist dress. It had a front opening like a men’s shirt, but with large buttons in the front of the dress, which was practical and easy to wear. The sleeves were short and necklines varied from shirt style to sweetheart and other necklines. Antique and vintage dresses from well-known designers are available on 1stDibs.
- 1stDibs ExpertApril 5, 2022A number of dresses were popular during the 1940s. Many women wore short-waist dresses with button necks, collars, fitted waists and full skirts. The classic A-lines with knee-length hems in red, white and blue colors were also a trend. Shop a collection of vintage dresses on 1stDibs.
- 1stDibs ExpertFebruary 22, 2021In the 1940s, ladies wore clothes defined by clean and slim silhouettes. The jackets, blouses and sweaters often featured shoulderpads and had somewhat of a military feel. Most dresses were quite casual and pants and playsuits became part of a woman's everyday style.
- 1stDibs ExpertSeptember 23, 2024Claire McCardell was the designer often called the Mother of American Fashion in the 1940s. An American designer, she helped introduce women's sportswear to the United States and was particularly well-known for her bias-cut, loose-fitting Monastic dress. When World War II broke out in the 1940s, she designed pieces out of readily available materials like denim, calico and wool jersey, introducing new fabrics for women's clothing that would remain popular well after the close of the war. Many people point to McCardell as one of the first successful American fashion designers. Shop a collection of Claire McCardell apparel on 1stDibs.
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