Lobby cards - show us yours

[erik1925]

Always called them and seen them called mini lobby cards.
They aren't 8x10 stills, though they are 8x10.
But they are just smaller lobby cards.
Surely?

Sounds like that's what they are.

[Simes]

Ok.  But in the UK, definitely FoH Sets.

....Even IF the Front of House was just another name for the Lobby. 

Thank goodness there wasn't a third size in evidence as they'd probably be called Ticket Purchase and Concession Stand sets.

[erik1925]

Ok.  But in the UK, definitely FoH Sets.

....Even IF the Front of House was just another name for the Lobby. 

Thank goodness there wasn't a third size in evidence as they'd probably be called Ticket Purchase and Concession Stand sets.

 

[paul waines]

Front of House cards were call so as they were displayed at the front of the Cinema, not in the Lobby..

[Simes]

Wiki.

Front of House

"In the performing arts, front of house is the portion of a performance venue that is open to the public. In theatre and live music venues, it is the auditorium and foyer, as opposed to the stage and backstage areas. In theatre, the front of house manager is responsible for ticket sales, refreshments, and making sure auditorium is set out properly."

[Crazy Vick]

Anyone know how much packaging EMP uses for a set of 8 LCs...do they each have a sheet of kraft paper in between, do they come in an oversized super strong cardboard box or an envelope?  Basically, is it worthwhile for me given the brutal shipping rates for a set of 8 worthless cards?

[jayn_j]

An EMP lobby set will be packaged as follows.

the cards are packed in a single plastic envelope.  They are not separated.
The envelope is sealed with masking tape and then the long edge is folded over and taped so the cards cannot move within the envelope.
The envelope is taped to a very stiff and heavy piece of oversized backing board with reinforced packing tape.
The backing board is placed between two corrugated pieces of cardboard the same size.
The two pieces are taped together on all four sides with reinforced packing tape
This is then placed inside a heavy mailing flat.
The flat is sealed with reinforced brown tape on all edges.

It generally takes me about 5 minutes to extract the card(s).  I couldn't bend the flat over my knee.  In 25 years of buying from Bruce, I have had 2 instances of tubes being damaged.  I have never had one of his flat packages damaged.  Bruce is the gold standard.

[erik1925]

Anyone know how much packaging EMP uses for a set of 8 LCs...do they each have a sheet of kraft paper in between, do they come in an oversized super strong cardboard box or an envelope?  Basically, is it worthwhile for me given the brutal shipping rates for a set of 8 worthless cards?

I received a set of LC within the last week (from another seller) that were very well packaged.

The card set was placed in a plastic envelope, which was then taped & sandwiched between 2 pieces of sturdy cardboard. This was then placed in a second layer of cardboard which was wrapped and sealed.

I was charged $7.60 to have this mailed to me, and it was sent 2 Day Priority.  

[eatbrie]

An EMP lobby set will be packaged as follows.

the cards are packed in a single plastic envelope.  They are not separated.
The envelope is sealed with masking tape and then the long edge is folded over and taped so the cards cannot move within the envelope.
The envelope is taped to a very stiff and heavy piece of oversized backing board with reinforced packing tape.
The backing board is placed between two corrugated pieces of cardboard the same size.
The two pieces are taped together on all four sides with reinforced packing tape
This is then placed inside a heavy mailing flat.
The flat is sealed with reinforced brown tape on all edges.

It generally takes me about 5 minutes to extract the card(s).  I couldn't bend the flat over my knee.  In 25 years of buying from Bruce, I have had 2 instances of tubes being damaged.  I have never had one of his flat packages damaged.  Bruce is the gold standard.

All true except for the sleeve.  They used to send a set of cards in its own separate 11x14in (or 8x10in) protective sleeve but stopped doing so a year ago.  I usually buy 10 to 20 sets every time Emovie has an auction up, and they are now sent in a stack of 80 to 160 cards.  No more set by set lobby card sleeves.  Bruce is cheap.

T

[BruceH]

All true except for the sleeve.  They used to send a set of cards in its own separate 11x14in (or 8x10in) protective sleeve but stopped doing so a year ago.  I usually buy 10 to 20 sets every time Emovie has an auction up, and they are now sent in a stack of 80 to 160 cards.  No more set by set lobby card sleeves.  Bruce is cheap.

T

Actually, it is not "cheapness" that forced this change. It was the obsessive/compulsive collectors who wept rivers over the massive waste of all those extra bags. I got tired of reading those complaints (and the bags are not archival anyway, so they should be discarded upon receipt), so I ditched the "one bag per set" rule, and went to "one bag per order", and we have had no more complaints (either over "waste" or damage).

It is interesting to note that the ONLY people who have anything bad to say about my business (either buying or consigning) are those who either never deal with us or those who virtually never deal with us. I listen to all suggestions and complaints from regular customers or consignors. I do not listen at all to complaints from non-customers/non-consignors.

[BruceH]

An EMP lobby set will be packaged as follows.

the cards are packed in a single plastic envelope.  They are not separated.
The envelope is sealed with masking tape and then the long edge is folded over and taped so the cards cannot move within the envelope.
The envelope is taped to a very stiff and heavy piece of oversized backing board with reinforced packing tape.
The backing board is placed between two corrugated pieces of cardboard the same size.
The two pieces are taped together on all four sides with reinforced packing tape
This is then placed inside a heavy mailing flat.
The flat is sealed with reinforced brown tape on all edges.

It generally takes me about 5 minutes to extract the card(s).  I couldn't bend the flat over my knee.  In 25 years of buying from Bruce, I have had 2 instances of tubes being damaged.  I have never had one of his flat packages damaged.  Bruce is the gold standard.

As agreed, your check for $50 will go into the mail ASAP. But please don't tell anyone I paid you to write this!

[eatbrie]

Actually, it is not "cheapness" that forced this change. It was the obsessive/compulsive collectors who wept rivers over the massive waste of all those extra bags. I got tired of reading those complaints (and the bags are not archival anyway, so they should be discarded upon receipt), so I ditched the "one bag per set" rule, and went to "one bag per order", and we have had no more complaints (either over "waste" or damage).

It is interesting to note that the ONLY people who have anything bad to say about my business (either buying or consigning) are those who either never deal with us or those who virtually never deal with us. I listen to all suggestions and complaints from regular customers or consignors. I do not listen at all to complaints from non-customers/non-consignors.

Well, I like those sleeves, Bruce.  It was much easier to file my cards.  I always have a reserve of sleeves to use, but I really enjoyed getting a set of cards already wrapped for filing.  I personally don't care about the archival whatever.  I've had cards in those sleeves for years and years and they look as good today as they did back then.

T

[Crazy Vick]

Thanks for responding.  Looks like in my over zealousness I'm now the high bidder on a set, so looks like I'll know soon enough how much shipping is gonna hurt. Of course getting damaged cards would hurt more that's for sure.  

[BruceH]

Thanks for responding.  Looks like in my over zealousness I'm now the high bidder on a set, so looks like I'll know soon enough how much shipping is gonna hurt. Of course getting damaged cards would hurt more that's for sure.  

If you want, we will put them in an envelope a single cardboard, or with NO cardboard at all. As long as you accept responsibility for any damage.

We are very agreeable, and go out of our way to make customers happy.

[Crazy Vick]

That's good to know Bruce, I asked not to include kraft paper between all my posters last time and was denied!  Next time I'll go straight to the boss 

[oldposterho]

It generally takes me about 5 minutes to extract the card(s).

It's that damn unbreakable tape.  You can hit that stuff with a flamethrower and I don't think it would unstick.  I've spent many expletive filled minutes myself trying to extract the items inside as my box cutter fu is no good and I'm wary of accidentally cutting the posters with an inadvertent slip.  That's why I prefer just using the blue painters tape, it keeps everything in place but doesn't seal it up like King Tut's tomb. 

Way better than the alternative though and the EMP packaging is superlative, in spite of the adamantium tape.

[Ari]

Ok.  But in the UK, definitely FoH Sets.

....Even IF the Front of House was just another name for the Lobby. 

Thank goodness there wasn't a third size in evidence as they'd probably be called Ticket Purchase and Concession Stand sets.

Yes, U.K. FOH.

[eatbrie]

We are very agreeable, and go out of our way to make customers happy.

If you're so agreeable and go out of your way to make your customers happy, will you send me the sets I won yesterday in their respective plastic sleeves?  Just wondering.

T

[BruceH]

No. Unless you want to pay a 19.5% buyers premium, with a $14 minimum per item!

[eatbrie]

So IT IS about money.  I got my answer.

T

[BruceH]

Yes it is. Why not ask us to put each card in a separate bag? Or each set in a mylar sleeve?

If we were like other auctions, and we auctioned a few sets at a time, or a bunch of sets every six months, we might be able to do things exactly the way each customer wants it.

But the ONLY way to maintain our massive output of auctions is to have an exact system we follow each time. The vast majority of collectors are able to accept this reality, and we thank them for their understanding.

We DO "make it look easy" to run 3,000 unique auctions a week, but it is anything but!

[Simes]

We DO "make it look easy" to run 3,000 unique auctions a week, but it is anything but!

You certainly do.  And am sure it's not.

[BruceH]

You certainly do.  And am sure it's not.

 

[erik1925]

A set of 11x14 LC for The Stunt Man (1980):

[MoviePosterBid.com]

we've been trying to figure out even better ways to ship lobby cards and I thought I would use this order to Australia for my pilot test and see what materials are best used to get a lobby card there safely



so I figured the first thing to do was put it into a bag, with a board


I wasn't sure if I felt that was secure enough, so I put that into a larger bag


into a larger bag


into a larger bag


into a larger bag


into a larger bag


then I taped them all up into a small package


priority mail box


into a box it goes


nice and neat


but I still wasn't certain it would be safe, going around the globe, so I put into a larger box



I don't know.. maybe we need more safety



fits well.. add peanuts


Perfect!


maybe I can do one more thing!


oh yeah!... that's great


there you go Phil... and I can get you a shipping discount if I print out postage online