Could anything cause poster values to plummet or will they continue to rise?

[BruceH]

...and every auction, you send me an e-mail about how you are giving them away and half the posters are still under $5.  And somehow I end up paying $50 for those $5 posters

($52 and $38 for the two "cheap ones" I won tonight)

You know your problem. You have good taste! You don't want the cheap junk.

There are posters where there are 500 copies out there, and every dealer is waiting for a sucker new collector to pay them $50 for one of them, and maybe once a year, someone sells one of them for $50.

I auction that same poster, and it goes for $7. Does that mean I ruined the price of that poster, or did I simply reveal that few people, if any, want it at a higher price? And will the dealer who has a roll of 50 of them be mad at me?

[Crazy Vick]

Great reply, Rich, even if depressing.

Vick, regarding those home decorating porn shows, in my experience few of those designers care if the poster is original.  They are looking for the visual impact.  I saw a home in the Sunday paper that was decorated in a deco style.  They had a Gilda 1 sheet over the fireplace.  Do you honestly think they paid the $10k for a real one, or did they buy the repro from Amazon for $20 and spend $300 on the fancy framing?  

disgusting.  And they get away with telling their clients they are getting them "vintage posters"?    

Anyway I'm starting to think the safe bet is going all ma500969 and focusing exclusively on stone lithos. I don't know why quite yet, but he seems to be putting all his money in the right spots.  

[guest4754]

it's definitely a growing hobby in terms of new collectors i think, i've only been collecting for like 8 months or something. I've gotten a friend or two somewhat into collecting. Plus according to Bruce, EMP is gaining new bidders everyday. So at least it seems demand is growing.

Overall some very interesting points brought up here, I  think that generational changes will bring demand for different  posters too. Then again I'm 21 and collect mostly 70s-80s posters but that's because I'm a horror guy. I just have a hard time thinking these modern posters will be appealing but I suppose that's the same thing you guys who were buying up 80s posters thought at the time...who knows.

[erik1925]

I'd say all these art shops that churn out reproductions and all other reproductions coming out would devalue posters. I saw last week a framed Breakfast At Tiffany's reproduction in a frame leaned up in the curbside junk pile where it would have been taken if anyone had any interest. I would think people get desensitized to images if they are everywhere and they lose some desireabilty

Or people just have no interest in a cheapo reproduction-- tho the frame alone, should have been enticing to some, don't u think? Use it for something that someone felt was worth framing.

Or was the frame also something flimsy and not worthwhile?

[eatbrie]

You know your problem. You have good taste! You don't want the cheap junk.

There are posters where there are 500 copies out there, and every dealer is waiting for a sucker new collector to pay them $50 for one of them, and maybe once a year, someone sells one of them for $50.

I auction that same poster, and it goes for $7. Does that mean I ruined the price of that poster, or did I simply reveal that few people, if any, want it at a higher price? And will the dealer who has a roll of 50 of them be mad at me?

Very good point, Bruce.  You actually proved me wrong.  You've been auction the same Back to the Future, Pulp Fiction, Batman, Star Wars posters for years now, multiple, multiple times a year...  I was convinced the prices on those would crumble to nothing, just so many copies out there (more than 500 for sure, from the look of how many you auction), but they seem to somehow hold some value.  So what do I know.

T

[eatbrie]

I just have a hard time thinking these modern posters will be appealing but I suppose that's the same thing you guys who were buying up 80s posters thought at the time...who knows.

And that's exactly it.  As we all get older, the market moves with us.  Amazing pieces from the 30s, 40s and 50s will retain some value, but the vast majority of them will just mean nothing to most collectors.  And the crap that comes out today will eventually be of interest in 20 to 30 years.  And on and on it goes.

T

[erik1925]

Same with the Jaws US OS... they appear over & over and Over (ebay or other auction houses), yet they always seem to realize a good price.

[erik1925]

And that's exactly it.  As we all get older, the market moves with us.  Amazing pieces from the 30s, 40s and 50s will retain some value, but the vast majority of them will just mean nothing to most collectors.  And the crap that comes out today will eventually be of interest in 20 to 30 years.  And on and on it goes.

T

T, dont you think there is JUST TOO MUCH (= # of copies floating around & available) of the modern crap (for the most part) to ever rise up to be of substantial value?

[50s]

A major war in the Middle East or serious escalation of conflict between China or Russia and the west would cause our posters to lose some value

[erik1925]

We would need fuel for fire, in order to cook food.

[eatbrie]

T, dont you think there is JUST TOO MUCH (= # of copies floating around & available) of the modern crap (for the most part) to ever rise up to be of substantial value?

Only time will tell.  If you think of how many Goonies, Back to the Future or Batman Returns posters were printed and what they still sell for today...  And how much others (the last Star Wars trilogy comes to mind) were selling for at the time and what they're worth today.  It really comes down to how people remember a movie.  

T

[erik1925]

As you said... in the end.. and when it all boils down to it----

Time Will Tell.

[Mirosae]

I'd say all these art shops that churn out reproductions and all other reproductions coming out would devalue posters. I saw last week a framed Breakfast At Tiffany's reproduction in a frame leaned up in the curbside junk pile where it would have been taken if anyone had any interest. I would think people get desensitized to images if they are everywhere and they lose some desireabilty

This is an interesting thought. Although if I may, you could argue that these do just the opposite. They are marketing those images in a way that brings them back to life and makes them more appealing to those who probably never watched it or care to watch the film. But owning the real poster becomes a treat.

Either way, personally I am doomed. Prices are on the up and I do not see myself buying " modern posters" as in ..never... and at this rate wont be able to afford any " vintage" paper either.

[oldposterho]

Rosa, it's the curse of having good taste. 

[jayn_j]

One thought is that there are repros and then there are repros.  An S2 recreation can sell for hundreds in its own right.  Those posters are clearly marked as repros.

Another company that did high quality limited edition repros was Filmprints.  I have a Forbidden Planet 1/2 sheet from them that we purchased as part of a limited run of 100 back in 1995.  I discussed it here: http://www.allposterforum.com/index.php/topic,1926.0.html  I think I could get back the $100 we spent on that back then.

[eatbrie]

One thought is that there are repros and then there are repros.  An S2 recreation can sell for hundreds in its own right.  Those posters are clearly marked as repros.

Those I will never understand.  Why they sell for anything above $10 is beyond me.  They are JUST repros.

T

[jayn_j]

Those I will never understand.  Why they sell for anything above $10 is beyond me.  They are JUST repros.

T

I understand where you are coming from, but take a look at the old article I referenced.  It brought up several points.  When we had that half sheet made, we went to what was left of the NSS and got a number assigned.  We then did an art house 1 night showing of the film and put copies of the poster in the lobby.  I suspect that was sufficient to make it a legitimate re-release poster.  The subject of the Alamo posters came up as well, which were displayed as part of showings of the film.  There was also discussion of the fact that most modern posters are produced in large quantities and most never get displayed.

Now I thoroughly agree that this "repro" is not worth the high 4 figures that an original half sheet would get.  However, the limited run, the NSS number, the use of original master films and the connection to an actual showing should make is worth significantly more than "ten bucks"