Abbott And Costello
Vintage 1950s British Posters
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Vintage 1940s British Posters
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Vintage 1950s Italian Posters
Vintage 1950s German Posters
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Vintage 1950s French Posters
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Vintage 1950s 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.
- When did Berenice Abbott retire?1 Answer1stDibs ExpertApril 5, 2022Noted photographer Berenice Abbott had no official retirement, but her work tapered off after she moved to Maine in the late 1960s. She was able to live off the rise in popularity of her prior works in the 1970s and basically lived a small-town existence until her death in 1991. Shop a selection of Berenice Abbott pieces from some of the world’s top art dealers on 1stDibs.
- 1stDibs ExpertApril 5, 2022Berenice Abbott was an American photographer known for her portrait and documentary photographs. Her style of photography can be described as realist or straight, capturing an accurate and honest observation of her subjects as they existed in a specific time or place. Abbott’s photographs displayed precise detail and definition of materials, surfaces and textures. Find a selection of Berenice Abbott photographs on 1stDibs.
- 1stDibs ExpertMarch 22, 2022James Abbott McNeill Whistler is known for his work as a painter. His nighttime scenes of London and his full-length portraits are particularly acclaimed. He also produced etchings and lithographs. You'll find a variety of James McNeill Whistler art on 1stDibs.
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