Just Dropping in to say my initial hello

[guest4920]

Okay, so like the rest of you, I'm addicted to collecting movie posters. 
I have my own Chris Cloutier HORROR stories...
I mainly collect horror and science fiction posters from the 40's through the 60's (and a few others).
My favorites usually end up being Reynold Brown paintings...
I have nothing smaller than a one sheet in my collection and nothing larger than a 6-sheet.
I have way too many posters and can't help myself. Somewhere around... What's too many again?
So anyway, "Hello everyone!! Glad to be here!"

[jayn_j]

Welcome, and happy collecting.  Happy to see someone else that will beat up on the others and not drive up the price on my stuff

[erik1925]

 , 2footlong and enjoy the forum. You will find many here who like that genre, so you are in good company, with all of the fine poster-folk here.

Cant wait to see parts of your collection, when you decide to post some images.

Have fun and your PFix story sounds interesting, too. Did the poster(s) he worked on of yours end up in one of his videos?

[guest4920]

True to form, Chris Cloutier held onto my posters for months, threatened to keep them and the money I pre-paid and completed the worst linen backing job I have ever seen after I turned him in to Paypal, the BBB, the state attorney general of New York and the Federal Trade Commission of the United States. I kind of went all out after he threatened to keep both my posters and my money. He got really nice after he heard from the state attorney general and got contacted by the FTC.

Of course everything he touched will have to be re-backed, but I got the posters back.

I would say something much more disrespectful about him in general, but as you all know of him, I see no reason to add too much to the "Ass Clown" post I read in one of the other threads. I thought it was way too kind, however.

[erik1925]

Can I ask what 2 posters you had him "work" on?

And what a story... no wonder he is continually sending out emailers asking for people to send him work, so he can meet the next month's rent. Good for you for reporting all the way up to the NYAJ and FTC.

And as we all know, his youtube videos do nothing to help his cause, when his careless work that he and his wife do, is seen the world over. 

[guest4920]

Unfortunately, I had our friend, Chris Cloutier, working on 10 of my posters through that auction he continues to run on eBay for linen backing 10 posters at one price. (That was the first week in July a couple years ago).

He seems really decent until he gets your posters and your money, then he will definitely push you beyond what eBay will cover for feedback or help in returns so you end up having to go to Paypal. I got his account frozen for awhile. That was fun. So were his e-mails. I still have copies of some of his e-mails, photos, my complaints to the BBB, FTC, etc.

The following is one of his e-mails copied and pasted from the original (after I had his Paypal account frozen). I included some of my own comments in red text:
I cant work based on paypals recomeendations. Your money was spent in fixing the posters. Funny, I don't have all my posters back so I don't know where the money could have been spent
What paypal is doing to me is unfair. Hardly I will not be screwed around. Who won't be screwed around? what I do is highly precise work. Compared to trained monkeys I agreed to do your posters because you said "I prefer quality over speed" Agreed? I paid you up front "Ass Clown" Speed = never? ...does paypal know what service I am providing? Oh yeah, they definitely do...

do they know how cheap you bought my serrivices for? They know to the penny. That's the amount they removed from your account before freezing it the incredible expence I put into this work? Expense = Zero

Your lack of understanding--i have been doing this sort of work for over 26 year- is amazing.
You may want to find another hobby, or leave your posters in plastic sleeves. Quit while you're behind and if I ran my business like yours, I'd never have another customer or I'd be in jail

His spellchecker must have been turned off most days.

Chris had given me an update with pictures about three months in. He had done 5 of the posters and they looked decent in the photos he sent. It took until just before Christmas to get the rest done and it looks like his rush to get his Paypal account reinstated was to the detriment of the posters of mine he had not completed. He really did a horrible job. I think he cut the posters off the frame he uses while they were still wet and none of them entirely stuck to the linen and hopefully rice paper he used underneath. (He was using a really cheap, dingy linen, by the way. Kind of dirty looking compared to other posters I've had backed.) I don't know what he uses for glue, but I wouldn't use it to glue together Tinker Toys. Nothing against Tinker Toys...

Unfortunately, I had another experience with a linen backer from New York that didn't turn out great, He was actually really good at linen backing. He used nice linen, his glue worked... Hahahahaha, but he would do a few posters and then disappear never to return a call or an e-mail. So I already knew all the wonderful agencies to contact concerning interstate commerce and such. I got all my posters back from him too, but at least the ones he did look really nice. Too bad for him in the end as I have thousands of posters I was willing to linen back through him. He couldn't really do retouching, but I have been an artist for a living for over 25 years and can do my own retouching with watercolors, watercolor pencils, etc. Anything that is reversible if need be. So his linen backing was going great until he would up and disappear. After my experience with Posterfix and "Ass Clown", I actually miss the disappearing magician.

So, eventually I will be looking to try another linen backer, but I'm still a little soured right now and will probably be holding back for awhile longer. Leaves more money to buy more posters anyway. 

(Hopefully) Attached are a couple images of some of the posters I sent to Posterfix prior to the amazing(ly bad job Chris did on them).

[Harry Caul]

Welcome!  And sorry to hear you got the 'ol PosterFist from Cloutier. 

Great posters!
-Matt

[erik1925]

What a tale, but it sounds just just like the others people have told about Pfix and his work, misspellings and all. Glad to hear you at least got your posters back and hopefully he wasnt doing additional retouching with indelible markers and the like.

As far as the other NY-based restorer, it might be good to let others know who this is (or the company). This thread here might be a perfect fit: http://www.allposterforum.com/index.php/topic,1624.0.html

Plus, it will help others to stay away from lackluster folks like these and go to only those that we have all had only good experiences with. 

And those are 2 cool looking posters, too. 

[guest4920]

As far as that other NY backer that I used, I couldn't even tell you who he is or where he is.

That all started when I had purchased an item from him through eBay, if I remember correctly, and our correspondence ended up leading to lengthy phone calls about poster collecting which eventually ended in linen backing that he offered to do for me.

To make a long story short, he did a pretty decent number of posters for me before disappearing the first time and explained it away as him being in the hospital and being unable to reply back to me. I of course felt bad for him and requested that if it happened again (as I think he may have been in poor health) that his wife at least return my phone calls if only to tell me what had happened. We agreed and he continued on with more linen backing.

Like I had said, he really was doing a great job at it, (So much better than "Ass Clown" Chris Cloutier).

Needless to say, he disappeared again at some point and there was no contacting him or his wife. That's when all my research turned up my options with the State Attorney General of New York and the FTC, as these transactions were just between him and myself.

After numerous phone calls and a few letters on my behalf from the Attorney General, my posters just showed up one day in varying states of being backed or in the condition I had originally sent them to him.

So to this day, I have no idea what happened to him. I no longer have his address or phone number and I can't even remember his last name. Too bad as I really liked talking to the guy and he really did do good work. I'm hoping whatever happened he's in good health and not gone from this world, but I will never know.

The only thing I remember at this point is that his name was Frank. And in any case, it may or may not have been within his control. In the worst case, I would regret speaking ill of the deceased if that was the situation. Like I said, he really was doing a great job for me, he just disappeared.

 

[erik1925]

Dont let the experience with PFixmeister dissuade you from using other restorers.

There are many good ones out there, including Mario Cueva of Lumiere (http://www.lumiereposterrestoration.com/), Poster Mountain, 4th Cone, (all in So Calif), Dan Miles who owns/runs Backing to the Future or Dario of Vintage Movie Art (both in Canada).

[guest4920]

I definitely am going to try another linen backer one day, but for now, I'm in poster acquisition mode for awhile.

Too many posters out there I just can't seem to live without and I can only work so many hours to pay for them all. 

Probably a good thing I'm not wealthy. I would just be collecting houses in which to store my posters. 

[Monster_A_GoGo]

Hey 2footlong! Welcome to the site. Yowza! Sounds like you've had an awful first experience with linen. Your woes have been a lesson for me. I've been thinking about linenbacking a few things I have...but know to AVOID a certain "ass clown" after all of the trouble you've had.

Anyway--welcome. We are all anxious to see the wonders of YOUR collection. Start posting already. Ha!

CHEERS!

[guest4920]

Hey Shawn, if I may call you Shawn, if I got that correct?

Thanks for the welcome!

If I didn't know better, I would have guessed that we have almost the exact same collections and decidedly some of the same tastes in posters.

There are definitely a few posters in your posts that I would still love to have and I really do love all those horrendous B movie titles. I've always said, "The worse the movie, the better the poster". Which, of course, is not always true, but it's fun to say and some of my favorite posters really are from the absolute worst movies.

I grew up watching all those old Hammer horror movies so those posters are all near and dear to my heart, and then being an "artist" myself (Even after all these years, I still feel awkward saying that), I tend to gravitate to the well painted examples, especially those of Reynold Brown. And then there's nothing more gorgeous than a stone litho in my opinion.

Most of my collection is English language, but I have truly been tempted seeing some of the gorgeous artwork for some of the posters painted for other countries and languages. I could go on and on about style, time period, etc. But I have a feeling you and I are already on the same wavelength just seeing some of the posts of a small part of your collection. All awesome choices as most are the same choices I have made to have in my collection. 

So thanks again and I will put together some images to post in the future. Right after I finish cataloging my Richard Corben (comics) collection, my Silver Age (comics) collection and my antique electric fan collection. 

Love all the things you all have going on and love finally getting to talk poster collecting with people who understand the addiction.

I wish I would have found this forum years ago. I feel like a kid in a candy store just having the chance to converse with all you guys.

[MoviePosterBid.com]

lordy those are pathetic stories.. Cloutier is the laughing stock of the poster hobby

he needs to get introduced to someone's '2footlong'

[guest4920]

Hey Rich, if this is you, I remember going so far as to call you and talk to you on the phone about Cloutier and Posterfix. I was trying to make sure he wasn't attempting to sell my posters through a reputable dealer.

At least he never tried that, but I wouldn't put anything past the guy. He is definitely a piece of work. Whoever put that guy on the history channel to represent the linen backing community must have been fooled as a few of us others were (at least for a short time anyway).

I wish the Attorney General in New York, would come down hard on that guy along with Paypal, eBay and a few others. Put good ole Chris out of business and spare some of us unsuspecting folk a hard earned lesson. He can't be of any serious benefit to eBay or Paypal. I can't imagine how many complaints they must get on the guy.

I think we need an "Ass Clown" emoticon so I can quit typing it every time I mention "Ass Clown" Chris Cloutier or Posterfix.

[MoviePosterBid.com]

Hey Rich, if this is you, I remember going so far as to call you and talk to you on the phone about Cloutier and Posterfix. I was trying to make sure he wasn't attempting to sell my posters through a reputable dealer.

yeah it's me

I've gotten a few of these calls. I can't imagine how many calls the bigger auctions get asking.

Cloutier is the only person I can think of that I will say to everyone publicly - you should not do business with this guy. He is the worst news you can find.
a pathetic excuse for a linenbacker or human being

[MoviePosterBid.com]

*to be fair.... WTF are people thinking when some guy offers to back 10 one sheet posters for $200 or $400 or $600?
if you go to Wal Mart, expect Wal Mart quality.

**to be fair to Wal Mart, Cloutier is like the gypsy cab of Wal Mart. He out Wal-Marts Wal Mart. He is the Gypsy Wal Mart

***to be fair to gypsies..............

[MoviePosterBid.com]

[guest4920]

Rich, you're cracking me up!!!   

But I definitely see the resemblance to Cloutier. 

[MoviePosterBid.com]

Rich, you're cracking me up!!!   

But I definitely see the resemblance to Cloutier. 

 

[Monster_A_GoGo]

Hey Shawn, if I may call you Shawn, if I got that correct?
If I didn't know better, I would have guessed that we have almost the exact same collections and decidedly some of the same tastes in posters.
Love all the things you all have going on and love finally getting to talk poster collecting with people who understand the addiction.
I wish I would have found this forum years ago. I feel like a kid in a candy store just having the chance to converse with all you guys.

Hi there!

Of COURSE you may call me Shawn.

I am thrilled to hear your collection is very similar to mine. I would love to see your stuff when you get the chance.

I completely understand the joy of finally (FINALLY) being able to chat with others about posters. I have only been here for about 2 years...and have been collecting for 40 (I'm 51...soon to be 52) years! Man, i wish I had been able to talk with some of these guys years ago---my collection might that much nicer had I been able to.

Anyway, WELCOME again. Hit me up with a note any time or post whatever. If you have questions, I or everyone else on here will be happy to help if we can.

So glad you are here.

CHEERS!