Vintage Karate Posters
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1980s American Vintage Karate Posters
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1950s Mexican Mid-Century Modern Vintage Karate Posters
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1970s Croatian Mid-Century Modern Vintage Karate Posters
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1980s American Vintage Karate Posters
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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 a vintage poster?1 Answer1stDibs ExpertSeptember 28, 2021A 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.
- 1stDibs ExpertMay 5, 2023To 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.
- 1stDibs ExpertMarch 31, 2023Whether 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.
- 1stDibs ExpertMarch 3, 2023The 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.
- 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.
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