A Blade Runner Insert Walks Into a Bar... (80s Inserts and Minty Whites)

[Disheveledamethyst]

The bartender says, "Describe, in single words, only the good things that come in to your mind about your mother."
The Blade Runner insert says "Let me tell you about my mother."

The Blade Runner insert then shoots the bartender and from this we can conclude the insert is a Replicant.

An insert for The Thing walks into a bar. The bartender touches some of the insert's blood with a hot piece of metal. The insert eats the bartender's head. From this we can conclude the insert has been assimilated.


If only authentication could be so easy. All I'd need was my bartending license. I want inserts for Blade Runner and The Thing.

Except everything I've come to learn about 80s inserts is that you have to assume every single one of them is fake. So what does one do in my situation? Do I suck it up and accept that I'll never have one? Are there tried and true methods of authenticating? Does anybody have any that they believe are real?

[longdog]

"An insert for The Thing walks into a bar. The bartender touches some of the insert's blood with a hot piece of metal. The insert eats the bartender's head. From this we can conclude the insert has been assimilated."

 

Unfortunately there are a number of (but not all) fakes for 70's & 80's inserts that have muddied the waters over the years but at least you're in the right place if you have specific queries. As for finding what you want you may have to pay more if you want the added guarantee from an established dealer who is prepared to stand by their stock.

As for 80's inserts (and half sheets) the bigger issue I've found is that there are less out there as the formats were being slowly withdrawn and I suspect fewer were printed adding to their rarity.

[archie leach]

Except everything I've come to learn about 80s inserts is that you have to assume every single one of them is fake.

Who in the heck gave you that idea?  There is a known list on LAMP.  Most have cropping issues.  Jaws is missing a disclaimer.  Martin Sheen is barely visible on Apoc Now. 

The easiest way to tell is the paper type.  My fake Jaws is on different paper than the dozens of real '80s & '70s inserts I have.

[Disheveledamethyst]

Who in the heck gave you that idea?  There is a known list on LAMP.  Most have cropping issues.  Jaws is missing a disclaimer.  Martin Sheen is barely visible on Apoc Now. 

The easiest way to tell is the paper type.  My fake Jaws is on different paper than the dozens of real '80s & '70s inserts I have.

So it would be in my interest to buy a minty-white for comparison's sake?

[Bruce]

I have seen a zillion minty whites, and they vary widely in paper quality and printing quality. Clearly all were not printed at the same time, so don't think seeing one is like seeing them all.

Bruce

[Disheveledamethyst]

I have seen a zillion minty whites, and they vary widely in paper quality and printing quality. Clearly all were not printed at the same time, so don't think seeing one is like seeing them all.

Bruce

So, without a point for comparison or any way to distinguish the original, how do I go-about buying inserts?

[Zorba]

This post might or might not help. It is very interesting and about minty white inserts. I like to book mark stuff as it helps with things and certain shady types    .

http://www.allposterforum.com/index.php/topic,2404.0.html

[Bruce]

Some are incredibly obviously fakes. Super glossy paper front and back, lousy quality.

Others are really good. I have had occasion to have real ones and great fakes side by side, and only then can you see the clear differences: the cropping is sometimes a tiny bit different, the printing quality is slightly fuzzier on the fake, and the backs of the fakes have a slight glossiness that is different from the backs of the real ones.

I can't guarantee you can always tell a fake from a real one, but follow these two tips and you will eliminate 99% of the worry:

1) Never ever buy an insert from Rochester New York or the two or three other main eBay dealers known to sell fakes (see any thread on this subject)

2) Only buy from any dealer who promises an unlimited guarantee that you can return it at any time in the future if it turns out to be a fake (I offer this, and I imagine several others would as well if you ask them). Of course, such a guarantee is only as good as the seller, so don't ask for this from a zero eBay feedback seller.

It is not as worrisome as you make it sound, but know that collectors have been bilked out of many hundreds of thousands of dollars on eBay alone, and no one has ever been punished in any way (except they give refunds to keep their 100% positive ratings).

Bruce

[archie leach]

So, without a point for comparison or any way to distinguish the original, how do I go-about buying inserts?

This is where I used to point people in the direction of the MPT archives that have fallen into the dustbin of history.  There should be some info in the multiple NSFGE archives (search 'minty white') if you can stand the smell.

You can always pick up a real insert for a lesser title on the cheap for some basic comparison, but if you are looking at a super high demand title then you should look for the specific information.

[Disheveledamethyst]

I'm considering and investigating... It's difficult because inserts seem to be an unpopular format, so I don't know any experts who can help me and the posters themselves are not abundant.

On another note, if anybody has inserts for these movies (notably The Thing) please let me know if you'd like to sell them!