Taking Care Of Vintage Posters

Being a serious vintage poster collector means taking extra time, effort and even money to make sure that your collection is always in good condition. A poster can only be called vintage when it has gone through the test of time. Some of these prints only have limited copies that owning one can be considered as an achievement by most collectors.

While restoring and preserving can cost you a lot of money, you can always find alternative ways to take care of your posters. Keep in mind that these posters can be considered as an investment, their value increases at time goes by so restoring or preserving these posters are a must!

Here are some tips you can do to restore and preserve your very precious posters.

Storage
For posters that you don't plan to display, storing them properly is very important. Remember that dust, moisture and light can damage your priced possessions.

Common sense would tell you that it's never right to fold your posters, unless you are ready to see your posters ruined. If you don't want to roll your posters, using an acid-free sleeve is very important. Make sure to lay your posters on a flat surface. Be very careful when stacking your posters because dust and moisture can get in, which can put too much damage on your collection. If you have no choice but to stack up your posters, using a shrink- wrap and sealing it properly would help preserve the posters.

If you don't have enough space, rolling your posters is the best way to store them. Use acid-free tubing and don't forget to seal the tube properly.

Proper Framing
To display your collection without ruining it, be sure that you frame your posters properly. Improper framing and incorrect choice of materials would damage your posters.

Using a glass or Plexiglas that is resistant to ultraviolet rays would protect your posters from the damaging effects of light. Matting and backing are also factors that you have to consider when framing a vintage poster. Acid eats away the paper. If you use materials that are acidic, you are only going to hasten the damage of acid on the paper. Choose acid-free backing and matting to preserve your collection. If you are framing your poster without matting, don't forget to use a molding. This would provide space between the glass and the paper. Making sure that the poster is off the glass will prevent humidity from making the paper stick to the glass frame.

Some collectors find putting their posters on a dowel very attractive. If you are one of these collectors who are tempted to place on of their posters on a dowel, stop a minute and think. While it may look very attractive, a poster on a dowel is very vulnerable to all the environmental factors that can damage your poster, like light, dust, humidity and smoke.

There are many things you can do to care for your posters. Keep in mind that these posters are very vulnerable. You might also want to cautious when transporting and handling your posters. Accidental tears are very common, especially those who are not careful enough. You can always get a professional to help you preserve and restore your vintage posters if you are not sure on how to take care of them.