To Linen Back or not To Linen Back?

[raulleaf]

Just wanted to start a thread posing the question for informational purposes.

When is a poster in need of repair?  How bad is bad enough?  When should you linen back a poster?

Just had a interchange regarding backing double sided posters.  When is this permitted?

[MoviePosterBid.com]

When is a poster in need of repair?

rarely

How bad is bad enough? 

So bad that even bad is embarrassed

regarding backing double sided posters.  When is this permitted?

when the fourth equinox of the year comes

[Ari]

for me, its when its brittle and every unfold means more tearing or paper loss.
Or its a valuable poster with enough damage to need a good bath and paper replaced to make it presentable.
If its in one solid piece, I would leave as is.
I like a poster to show its history.

[Neo]

I think "in need of repair" means that it is likely to fall apart and be damaged worse if a conservation method is not used.  Some people say that DS posters should never be backed.  Some like me don't care what a lot of people say and suggest that you do what you want with your stuff.

If someone asked me what I am doing linen backing any of my posters I would reply, in the words of Napoleon Dynamite - "Whatever I feel like doing....GOSH!"  IMO if they look a hell of a lot better on the wall after restoration and they are gonna be permanently framed, and they're not like some holy grail of collectibles, then do whatever makes you happy.  If someone does it to a pretty nice piece, that is not in danger of falling apart or disintegrating, just to put it in a drawer for eternity, then I don't see as much of a point.  My $0.02.

[tstatum]

I believe there are no ds posters worth linen backing, this is only my opinion. I cant think of a ds poster worth spending another hundred dollars on to linen back it.

[Ari]

agreed, the one in question if it needed fixing they should have used that starch backing (perhaps)

[MoviePosterBid.com]

I believe there are no ds posters worth linen backing, this is only my opinion. I cant think of a ds poster worth spending another hundred dollars on to linen back it.

pretty much agree

the real perspective..  if it's going to need to be backed to look good.. why don't you just %&@* wait and get one that doesn't need backing.. It's called patience

[Dread_Pirate_Mel]

The only double-sided poster MAYBE worth backing is the intentionally damaged recalled Dick Tracy/Madonna posters.  Undamaged originals are pretty rare and have been going for $200 and the intentionally damaged originals can be had for $50 or so.  Still I think you're better off waiting for a undamaged rolled original.

[tstatum]

Linebacking alone will cost $100 if you add much restoration your looking at $200 ask yourself how many DS posters are worth more then $200 dollars, very few. If I could buy an original pulp fiction for $1 maybe I restore it. The only poster I have ever restored is my Cool Hand Luke  1 sheet which I bought for under 200 and restored for under 4 I still don't know if I'd do it again. Althought the end product I love.

[MoviePosterBid.com]

don't get a Pulp Fiction restored for $200.. I'll sell you one for $175 shipped in the USA

unless you mean a lucky strikes..

[tstatum]

I meant a lucky strike. C

[Neo]

Just to explain myself, when I got the DS BTTF2 teaser linen backed I was a newbie. It was in the first batch of posters I bought and I paid $255 for it. It is an awesome design and I saw it in the theater when I was a kid, so basically it's one of my favorites. After getting it, I took it to a framer who has framed stuff for my family since I was a little kid. He assured me that this one and a few others would be fine, so I brought the posters to him, in near mint condition, and when I got them back in the frames, they were all jacked up with dings, waves, all kinds of crap and they looked pretty bad. At the time, I figured I was saving money by getting them linen backed as I thought the going price of a BTTF2 was $255 (of course I later realized that Bruce sells them for about $30-$40 regularly) and got them done by Poster Conservation, who charges $80 to linen back a one sheet and they charged me about $20 for the touch up (restoration) work. They also did my Taxi Driver 30 x 40 and Big Lebowski B1 and I have not regretted it as they look awesome. In all honesty, had I not brought the posters to him, I would have probably never even gotten into collecting posters. So I found MPF and through it the linen backing trade, Bruce, the old timer crew from MPF, and eventually APF through a message posted by Mel on MPF regarding APF. And for the record, I don't take it personally what others think about linen backing. It's obviously not the smartest thing from an investment standpoint to back/restore an omnipresent poster worth $5 and can be bought in mint condition for a few bucks more, but in my experience, the linen backed posters I do own look a lot better in frames than before they were backed. My position still stands, do what you want with your stuff, use them for toilet paper, starters for the fireplace, linen back/restore them and frame them and behold them in awe as well as others for the works or art they looked like when in pristine condition, whatever makes you happy.

[Chop-Top]

Just to explain myself, when I got the DS BTTF2 teaser linen backed I was a newbie.  It was in the first batch of posters I bought and I paid $255 for it.  It is an awesome design and I saw it in the theater when I was a kid, so basically it's one of my favorites.  After getting it, I took it to a framer who has framed stuff for my family since I was a little kid.  He assured me that this one and a few others would be fine, so I brought the posters to him, in near mint condition, and when I got them back in the frames, they were all jacked up with dings, waves, all kinds of crap and they looked pretty bad.  At the time, I figured I was saving money by getting them linen backed as I thought the going price of a BTTF2 was $255 (of course I later realized that Bruce sells them for about $30-$40 regularly) and got them done by Poster Conservation, who charges $80 to linen back a one sheet and they charged me about $20 for the touch up (restoration) work.  They also did my Taxi Driver 30 x 40 and Big Lebowski B1 and I have not regretted it as they look awesome.  In all honesty, had I not brought the posters to him, I would have probably never even gotten into collecting posters.  So I found MPF and through it the linen backing trade, Bruce, the old timer crew from MPF, and eventually APF through a message posted by Mel on MPF regarding APF.  And for the record, I don't take it personally what others think about linen backing.  It's obviously not the smartest thing from an investment standpoint to back/restore an omnipresent poster worth $5 and can be bought in mint condition for a few bucks more, but in my experience, the linen backed posters I do own look a lot better in frames than before they were backed.  My position still stands, do what you want with your stuff, use them for toilet paper, starters for the fireplace, linen back/restore them and frame them and behold them in awe as well as others for the works or art they looked like when in pristine condition, whatever makes you happy. 

Let me stop you right there. DON'T FEEL BAD ABOUT IT. When I was a newbie I backed a rolled Conan the Barbarian advance one sheet. Years later, I "regretted" it when I learned more about why posters are backed. Since then, however, I no longer regret backing the Conan poster. It is my personal belief that linen can serve multiple purposes. The most common being restoration of a badly damaged poster that is usually very old. The second is preservation. This can be done to any poster, but probably needs to be somewhat retro. The last being visual enhancement of the poster itself. Now, this reason is loaded with personal preference, but in my opinion to use this purpose, it has to be a favorite movie of yours. An added bonus is if the poster has a style that pops on linen. This use is similar to placing a $10 sports card in a $5 screw-down case. The card value doesn't warrant the extra protection, but if the card happens to be one of your favorites, then the holder will make it look even better.

My Conan poster is one of those styles that is drawn ruggedly and has similar rugged overtones due to the movie itself. I'm considering backing my Mad Max one sheet that is rolled, but it has wavy moisture lines running down the poster from when the previous owner had it in a non-archival frame. This meets all of my criteria. It's one of my favorite movies and rather retro, the wrinkles being flattened is a plus, and it's artwork and movie stylization will allow it to look even better on linen. Again, it's all personal preference. Of course you have to weigh each factor, but in the end don't let the vintage nazi's piss in your Cheerios about backing anything that's not pre-1950 and found in a landfill.

P.S. When I was a newbie, I also backed a rolled Legend one sheet that I agree was not worth it. I even sold that one and bought another rolled one sheet.

[Zorba]

My position still stands, do what you want with your stuff, use them for toilet paper, starters for the fireplace, linen back/restore them and frame them and behold them in awe as well as others for the works or art they looked like when in pristine condition, whatever makes you happy.

Absolutely. They are your posters. They are my posters. To each his own with his own posters.

[paul waines]

I wonder if it's worth getting all the linen-backing threads and putting them in one place, as I have a feeling the subject may come up again...

[erik1925]

I wonder if it's worth getting all the linen-backing threads and putting them in one place, as I have a feeling the subject may come up again...

Your wonderment was fulfilled, Paul.

 

[Mirosae]

for me, its when its brittle and every unfold means more tearing or paper loss.

this is just what I think. I find this a v. difficult call anyway. I only restored two of my posters. Do they look good now linen backed? yes, but boy oh boy it took me a while to make up my mind.

[Dread_Pirate_Mel]

The Frankie combo poster came in.  It's borderline but I'm going to shell out $300 to LB/restore it.  It's 65 years old (a senior citizen) and has faded/yellowed some.  The missing paper is moderately distracting.  Since I paid $600 for it, I think I could recover (and perhaps make money) if I needed to sell the restored poster:

[Mirosae]

The Frankie combo poster came in.  It's borderline but I'm going to shell out $300 to LB/restore it.  It's 65 years old (a senior citizen) and has faded/yellowed some.  The missing paper is moderately distracting.  Since I paid $600 for it, I think I could recover (and perhaps make money) if I needed to sell the restored poster:

Stunning poster, and looks like it has kept all the bright colors / the green shades look amazing. The missing paper is really minor so a good restoration could bring it back all to life with just minor touches i think.  A very good looking piece Mel. congrats

I want one too..!

[Starling]

The Frankie combo poster came in.  It's borderline but I'm going to shell out $300 to LB/restore it.  It's 65 years old (a senior citizen) and has faded/yellowed some.  The missing paper is moderately distracting.  Since I paid $600 for it, I think I could recover (and perhaps make money) if I needed to sell the restored poster:

Wow, love that Poster Mel!  Linen and a little bit of resto will make it sing

[ddilts399]

I was the underbidder on that one!

[CSM]

Unfortunately good posters DO grow old!

[Charlie]

Are you going to let Dario work his magic on this one?  Cali has enough money, send some to Canada!

[Silhouette]

The Frankie combo poster came in.  It's borderline but I'm going to shell out $300 to LB/restore it.  It's 65 years old (a senior citizen) and has faded/yellowed some.  The missing paper is moderately distracting.  Since I paid $600 for it, I think I could recover (and perhaps make money) if I needed to sell the restored poster:

That's going to look fantastic restored, you definitely won't lose money on it and before you even get round to selling it think of the years of pleasure you will get from it framed and on the wall too. One for the master craftsman, Dario

[syracuselaxfan]

Is it possible to linenback a poster that has autographs on it? My gut feel is that the wet work involved will damage Sharpie signatures. If linenbacking isn't an option, is there another way to preserve signed posters?