What is a vintage poster?

A vintage poster is a collector’s item — it usually refers to a piece of poster art that is at least 20 years old. These posters may range from $500 to $2,000 per item and can even be more expensive depending on subject matter, artist and other attributes. Shop a wide collection of unique vintage posters on 1stDibs today.

How do I identify a vintage poster?

To identify a vintage poster, feel the texture. Authentic vintage posters will usually feel similar to a newspaper, while reprints of originals will usually be on glossy paper with a smooth surface. An experienced art dealer or certified appraiser can aid you in dating posters. Shop a range of posters from some of the world's top galleries on 1stDibs.

How can you tell if a poster is vintage?

To tell if a poster is vintage, first consider the paper. Due to their age, most vintage posters will show at least minor signs of wear around the edges. A poster that appears brand new could be a reproduction. Also, familiarize yourself with the type of paper used for poster printing during the time when you believe your piece may have been produced. For example, you'd expect an original poster from the early 20th century to feel like newsprint, so a glossy finish on a piece would likely indicate that it's a later reprint. Next, grab a magnifying glass and examine the image. If you can see small dots or pixels, your poster was likely produced with printers that emerged during the late 1960s. Vintage posters from the 1970s, 80s and 90s may still be authentic originals if you observe pixelation, but you wouldn't expect to see it on a piece that purported to be older. If you still feel unsure about the age of your poster, consult a certified appraiser or knowledgeable art dealer. On 1stDibs, explore a variety of vintage posters.

Are vintage posters worth anything?

Whether vintage posters are worth anything depends on the piece in question. The age, number of pieces produced, the maker, the subject or theme of the poster and its condition all play a role in determining the value. Because rarity and current demand also influence price, you may wish to work with a certified appraiser or knowledgeable dealer to determine whether a particular poster is valuable. The former is a big factor, as collectors are said to gravitate toward purchasing a rare poster even if its condition is less than mint. On 1stDibs, shop a collection of posters from some of the world's top galleries.

What art style are vintage posters?

The art style of antique and vintage posters varies greatly. During the first decades of the 20th century, posters reflected the Art Nouveau style. After World War II, the mid-century modern style influenced designs, and by the 1960s, Op Art and Surrealism provided inspiration for posters. Shop a selection of posters from some of the world's top galleries on 1stDibs.

How can I tell if a vintage movie poster is real?

To 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.

Vintage Animation Posters

Walt Disney Presents the World's Greatest Shorts

$4,380

H 30 in W 20 in D 0.1 in

Walt Disney Presents the World's Greatest Shorts

Located in London, GB

This rare original British animation poster was designed to advertise Walt Disney shorts.

Category

1940s English Vintage Animation Posters

Materials

Paper

Original Vintage Exhibition Poster Computer Art Exhibition Graphics Animation

$1,010

H 33.08 in W 23.23 in D 0.04 in

Original Vintage Exhibition Poster Computer Art Exhibition Graphics Animation

Located in London, GB

Original vintage exhibition poster for 25 years of computer art Graphics Animation Technology / 25 Jahre Computerkunst Grafik Animation Technik was held at the BMW Pavilion in Munich...

Category

1980s German Vintage Animation Posters

Materials

Paper

Affiches de Cinema D'Animation, Galerie Saluden Quimper, Mars 1978

$673

H 32 in W 23 in D 0.1 in

Affiches de Cinema D'Animation, Galerie Saluden Quimper, Mars 1978

Located in London, GB

Original French film poster for a 1978 exhibition of Polish poster artist Jan Lenica (1928-2001) The artwork on this poster is also by Jan Lenica. This poster is unfolded and conse...

Category

1970s French Vintage Animation Posters

Materials

Paper

"Bambi" US Movie Poster

$404

H 36 in W 14 in D 0.1 in

"Bambi" US Movie Poster

Located in London, GB

Original US movie poster for Walt Disney's 1942 Classic Animation. This poster was designed and used for the 1957 rerelease of the film.

Category

1950s American Vintage Animation Posters

Materials

Paper

"The Gunfighter or Romantico Avventuriero" Film Poster

$673

H 27.3 in W 19.5 in D 0.1 in

"The Gunfighter or Romantico Avventuriero" Film Poster

Located in London, GB

The poster is in excellent condition, with only minor restoration to the center fold.

Category

1950s Italian Vintage Animation Posters

Materials

Paper

Tugboat Mickey

$10,107

H 41 in W 27 in D 0.01 in

Tugboat Mickey

Located in London, GB

Original US film poster from the 1940 Mickey Mouse short animation.

Category

1940s American Vintage Animation Posters

Materials

Paper

One Hundred and One Dalmatians

$1,212

H 30 in W 40 in D 0.1 in

One Hundred and One Dalmatians

Located in London, GB

Original British film poster for the 1961 Walt Disney animation. This poster was designed for the films re-release in 1969.

Category

1960s British Vintage Animation Posters

Materials

Paper

Lady and the Tramp / La Belle et le Clochard

$13,477

H 63 in W 47 in D 0.1 in

Lady and the Tramp / La Belle et le Clochard

Located in London, GB

Exceptionally rare original French film poster for Walt Disney's, 1955 animation film. This poster was designed to be pasted on billboards for the films rerelease in France.

Category

1950s French Vintage Animation Posters

Materials

Paper

Bambi

$539

H 36 in W 14 in D 0.1 in

Bambi

Located in London, GB

Original US movie poster for Walt Disney's 1942 Classic Animation. This poster was designed and used for the 1966 rerelease of the film.

Category

1960s American Vintage Animation Posters

Materials

Paper

Room for One More / C'e Posto per Tutti

$471

H 27.3 in W 19.5 in D 0.1 in

Room for One More / C'e Posto per Tutti

Located in London, GB

The poster is in excellent condition, with only minor restoration to the centre fold.

Category

1950s Italian Vintage Animation Posters

Materials

Paper

Room for One More / C'e Posto per Tutti

$606

H 27.3 in W 19.5 in D 0.1 in

Room for One More / C'e Posto per Tutti

Located in London, GB

The poster is in excellent condition, with only minor restoration to the centre fold.

Category

1950s Italian Vintage Animation Posters

Materials

Paper

Room for One More / C'e Posto Per Tutti

$505

H 27.3 in W 19.5 in D 0.1 in

Room for One More / C'e Posto Per Tutti

Located in London, GB

The poster is in excellent condition, with only minor restoration to the centre fold.

Category

1950s Italian Vintage Animation Posters

Materials

Paper

Room for One More / C'e Posto per Tutti

$539

H 27.3 in W 19.5 in D 0.1 in

Room for One More / C'e Posto per Tutti

Located in London, GB

The poster is in excellent condition, with only minor restoration to the centre fold.

Category

1950s Italian Vintage Animation Posters

Materials

Paper

Detective Story / Pieta per I Giusti

$539

H 27 in W 19 in D 0.1 in

Detective Story / Pieta per I Giusti

Located in London, GB

This poster is from the films first Italian release one year later in 1952.

Category

1950s Italian Vintage Animation Posters

Materials

Paper

Seymour ChwastLarge Oil Painting Of Cartoony Camouflage Tank in Illustration Style

$3,600

H 40 in W 30 in

Large Oil Painting Of Cartoony Camouflage Tank in Illustration Style

By Seymour Chwast

Located in Surfside, FL

Producing a wide variety of illustrations, posters, typography and animation, as well as design for packaging, magazines, record albums and book covers, Chwast's designs are a sophis...

Category

20th Century American Modern Vintage Animation Posters

Materials

Paint, Board

Seymour ChwastGirl on a Buick Painting on Metal Cut Out Sculpture Wall Hanging

$4,500

H 42 in W 36 in

Girl on a Buick Painting on Metal Cut Out Sculpture Wall Hanging

By Seymour Chwast

Located in Surfside, FL

Producing a wide variety of illustrations, posters, typography and animation, as well as design for packaging, magazines, record albums and book covers, Chwast's designs are a sophis...

Category

20th Century American Modern Vintage Animation Posters

Materials

Metal

Seymour ChwastPilots in Plane Painting on Metal Sculpture Wall Hanging Seymour Chwast Airplane

$4,500

H 20.5 in W 52 in

Pilots in Plane Painting on Metal Sculpture Wall Hanging Seymour Chwast Airplane

By Seymour Chwast

Located in Surfside, FL

Producing a wide variety of illustrations, posters, typography and animation, as well as design for packaging, magazines, record albums and book covers, Chwast's designs are a sophis...

Category

20th Century American Modern Vintage Animation Posters

Materials

Metal

“Struttin Down 5th Avenue” Ceramic Tea Set

$795 / set

H 11.25 in W 11 in D 3.5 in

“Struttin Down 5th Avenue” Ceramic Tea Set

By Michael Lambert

Located in Houston, TX

He was strongly influenced by 1940's animation and 1960's poster art. He closed his studio and retired in 2003 and this series is getting hard to find.

Category

Late 20th Century American Post-Modern Vintage Animation Posters

Materials

Ceramic

Roland ToporPANIQUE Signed Lithograph, Surreal Caricature Portrait, Unique Artist Proof, 1973

$825

H 26 in W 19.75 in

PANIQUE Signed Lithograph, Surreal Caricature Portrait, Unique Artist Proof

By Roland Topor

Located in Union City, NJ

Topor's artworks have appeared in books, newspapers, posters, and film animations. His style in literature, cinema, painting and acting slides toward the surreal macabre and express ...

Category

1970s Surrealist Vintage Animation Posters

Materials

Lithograph

Recent Sales

Frank DietrichOriginal Vintage Exhibition Poster Computer Art Exhibition Graphics Animation, 1989

Unavailable

H 33.08 in W 23.23 in

Original Vintage Exhibition Poster Computer Art Exhibition Graphics Animation

Located in London, GB

Original vintage exhibition poster for 25 years of computer art Graphics Animation Technology / 25 Jahre Computerkunst Grafik Animation Technik was held at the BMW Pavilion in Munich...

Category

1980s Vintage Animation Posters

Materials

Paper

Hungarian "Pinocchio, " Movie Poster

Sold

H 37 in W 12 in D 0.1 in

Hungarian "Pinocchio, " Movie Poster

By P. Kiss 1

Located in London, GB

Original Hungarian Movie poster for the classic 1940 Walt Disney Animation This poster was designed for the films first release in Hungry in 1941

Category

1940s Hungarian Vintage Animation Posters

Roland ToporL'ESCALIER Signed Lithograph, Surrealist Portrait, Black Humor, Stairs, 1973

Sold

H 12.25 in W 16 in

L'ESCALIER Signed Lithograph, Surrealist Portrait, Black Humor, Stairs

By Roland Topor

Located in Union City, NJ

Topor's artworks have appeared in books, newspapers, posters, and film animations. His style in literature, cinema, painting and acting gravitates toward the surreal macabre.

Category

1970s Surrealist Vintage Animation Posters

Materials

Lithograph

Roland ToporCOUP DE VENT(Gust Of Wind) Signed Lithograph, Surreal Portrait, Black Humor, 1973

Sold

H 19 in W 24 in

COUP DE VENT(Gust Of Wind) Signed Lithograph, Surreal Portrait, Black Humor

By Roland Topor

Located in Union City, NJ

Topor's artworks have appeared in books, newspapers, posters, and film animations. His style in literature, cinema, painting and acting slides toward the surreal macabre, lending its...

Category

1970s Surrealist Vintage Animation Posters

Materials

Lithograph

Seymour ChwastLarge Oil Painting Of Cartoony Camouflage Tank in Illustration Style

Sold

H 40 in W 30 in

Large Oil Painting Of Cartoony Camouflage Tank in Illustration Style

By Seymour Chwast

Located in Surfside, FL

Producing a wide variety of illustrations, posters, typography and animation, as well as design for packaging, magazines, record albums and book covers, Chwast's designs are a sophis...

Category

20th Century American Modern Vintage Animation Posters

Materials

Paint, Board

Seymour ChwastLarge Oil Painting Of Cartoony Camouflage Tank in Illustration Style

Sold

H 40 in W 30 in

Large Oil Painting Of Cartoony Camouflage Tank in Illustration Style

By Seymour Chwast

Located in Surfside, FL

Producing a wide variety of illustrations, posters, typography and animation, as well as design for packaging, magazines, record albums and book covers, Chwast's designs are a sophis...

Category

20th Century American Modern Vintage Animation Posters

Materials

Paint, Board

Seymour ChwastGirl on a Buick Painting on Metal Cut Out Sculpture Wall Hanging

Sold

H 42 in W 36 in

Girl on a Buick Painting on Metal Cut Out Sculpture Wall Hanging

By Seymour Chwast

Located in Surfside, FL

Producing a wide variety of illustrations, posters, typography and animation, as well as design for packaging, magazines, record albums and book covers, Chwast's designs are a sophis...

Category

20th Century American Modern Vintage Animation Posters

Materials

Metal

Seymour ChwastGirl on a Buick Painting on Metal Cut Out Sculpture Wall Hanging

Sold

H 42 in W 36 in

Girl on a Buick Painting on Metal Cut Out Sculpture Wall Hanging

By Seymour Chwast

Located in Surfside, FL

Producing a wide variety of illustrations, posters, typography and animation, as well as design for packaging, magazines, record albums and book covers, Chwast's designs are a sophis...

Category

20th Century American Modern Vintage Animation Posters

Materials

Metal

Walt Disney Animation / Un Cartone Animato

Sold

H 28 in W 19 in D 0.1 in

Walt Disney Animation / Un Cartone Animato

Located in London, GB

Original Italian film poster for Walt Disney Animations / Un Cartone Animato.

Category

1940s Italian Vintage Animation Posters

Materials

Paper

"Dumbo" Film Poster

Sold

H 30 in W 40 in D 0.1 in

"Dumbo" Film Poster

Located in London, GB

Original British film poster for Walt Disney's, 1941 animation film. This poster is from the 1949 re-release of the film the art work was only used for this showing of the film.

Category

1940s British Vintage Animation Posters

Materials

Paper

Walt Disney 'Bambi' Original Vintage Movie Poster, Japanese, 1957

Sold

H 29 in W 20.25 in D 0.01 in

Walt Disney 'Bambi' Original Vintage Movie Poster, Japanese, 1957

Located in Devon, GB

In 2008, the American film Institute named Bambi the third best film in the animation genre. Featuring a lush full-bleed forest scene from the animation, this delightful poster w...

Category

1950s Japanese Mid-Century Modern Vintage Animation Posters

Materials

Paper, Linen

Mayo no Takkyubin or Kiki's Delivery Service

Sold

H 29 in W 20 in D 0.1 in

Mayo no Takkyubin or Kiki's Delivery Service

Located in London, GB

Original Vintage film poster for Hayao Miyazaki 1989 Japanese Studio Ghibli animation.

Category

1980s Japanese Vintage Animation Posters

Materials

Paper

Mayo No Takkyubin / Kiki's Delivery Service

Sold

H 29 in W 20 in D 0.1 in

Mayo No Takkyubin / Kiki's Delivery Service

Located in London, GB

Original style B Vintage film poster for Hayao Miyazaki 1989 Japanese Studio Ghibli animation.

Category

1980s Japanese Vintage Animation Posters

Materials

Paper

Gary PanterSigned Gary Panter La Maravilla Enmascarada, 1986

Sold

H 22 in W 17 in D 0.01 in

Signed Gary Panter La Maravilla Enmascarada

By Gary Panter

Located in NEW YORK, NY

Comic book art. Gary Panter poster. Punk Art. Animation.

Category

1980s Pop Art Vintage Animation Posters

Materials

Lithograph, Offset

People Also Browsed

Mickey Mouse, Silly Symphony

$24,297Sale Price|20% Off

H 63 in W 47 in D 0.1 in

Mickey Mouse, Silly Symphony

Located in London, GB

Original French film poster for Mickey Mouse - Silly Symphony 1938. To-date this is believed to be the only known surviving example. The Silly Symphonies were a series of seventy-fi...

Category

1930s French Vintage Animation Posters

Materials

Paper

Bambi 1960s French Grande Film Movie Poster, Disney

$1,435

H 63 in W 46.5 in D 0.1 in

Bambi 1960s French Grande Film Movie Poster, Disney

Located in Bath, Somerset

We love this charming original French film poster for 60s re-release of Disney classic Bambi. A wonderfully softly illustrated poster in fabulous condition. This vintage movie pos...

Category

20th Century French Vintage Animation Posters

Materials

Linen, Paper

Get Updated with New Arrivals

Save "Vintage Animation Posters", and we’ll notify you when there are new listings in this category.

Vintage Animation Posters For Sale on 1stDibs

An assortment of vintage animation posters is available at 1stDibs. Frequently made of paper, paint and fabric, all vintage animation posters available were constructed with great care. There are all kinds of vintage animation posters available, from those produced as long ago as the 20th Century to those made as recently as the 20th Century. Vintage animation posters made by mid-century modern designers — as well as those associated with Art Deco — are very popular at 1stDibs. Many vintage animation posters are appealing in their simplicity, but Gerald Scarfe produced popular vintage animation posters that are worth a look.