Is it worth Linen backing posters

[50s]

I understand bleaching will bleach the colors as well as the white. As the white brightens more noticibly than the colors fading, this gives a false impression the colors are popping.

[CSM]

Mel, that poster should clean up superbly!

[Dread_Pirate_Mel]

So The Undead - one of the coolest horror posters -  just came back from Poster Mountain looking substantially improved.  The white borders have significantly lightened and the colors are more vibrant.  It's all smoothed out and not tattered anymore.  Well worth the $150.

[Zorba]

The white borders have significantly lightened and the colors are more vibrant.  Well worth the $150:

Agree. Looks great.

Linen back haters are the Scrooges of movie poster collectors  :P

[Dread_Pirate_Mel]

Well, I definitely prefer non-LB posters but in a few cases - like this one - it is appropriate.  I've got $400 in it now and that's about right.

This is a pristine non-LB copy being sold by Movie Poster Service for $550:

[Zorba]

Well, I definitely prefer non-LB posters but in a few cases - like this one - it is appropriate.  

Agree with that 100%.

Im just saying that I think backing has its place.  8)

[CSM]

Looks really nice Mel.

Is this the "most vintage" poster you have now?  Slowly but surely!

[rumble]

There are times when linenbacking is the only option. For instance, my collection of Mexican 60's posters is literally crumbling to the touch, and would be impossible to display or even handle without backing. Plus they look great after Dario is through with them! Like this one...

[lynaron]

DPM,
You should have had PM fix the lettering also  ;D.

[Bruce]

I agree Lynn. That is really a major rookie error for a linenbacker to make!

Bruce

[teamweapon]

There are times when linenbacking is the only option. For instance, my collection of Mexican 60's posters is literally crumbling to the touch, and would be impossible to display or even handle without backing. Plus they look great after Dario is through with them! Like this one...

that santo poster looks awesome!!!.
<3 the colours. well vibrant.
i only have one santo poster and its french not mexican. i havent even got it yet.

[Dread_Pirate_Mel]

A linen-backing fiasco for the ages - I love the BLUE ink!

[CSM]

Not only is the restoration terrible but the F is up with the linenbacking job?!

[Charlie]

Not only is the restoration terrible but the F is up with the linenbacking job?!

Yeah they didn't even trim it... or repair the tears?

[erik1925]

There are times when linenbacking is the only option. For instance, my collection of Mexican 60's posters is literally crumbling to the touch, and would be impossible to display or even handle without backing. Plus they look great after Dario is through with them! Like this one...

Dario did a great job on this and the others you showed, too, rumble.

Really fine work.  thumbup

[Ari]

my 2c,

if you want to display the poster and it doesn't look how you would like it to condition wise, then go for it. Make it look as pretty as it can be.

If you want to resell a poster that is falling apart, or needs to be cleaned to show off the beauty underneath, it just doesn't show the potential it has, then get it backed.

If you plan on reselling and the poster looks ok as is, is stable enough to handle. I think LEAVE it , let the new owner back it if they want - then they know exactly what was done to it. Depending on the poster, in most cases I don't believe you will get the $ spent on restoration back over what you would selling in unrestored condition.

Always depends on the poster and the exact specifics of why it would need resto/backing.

thats 4c, Ill take the change in paypal.

[TheAnswerMVP2001]

I just had a couple posters backed and mildly restored and I think it was well worth it.  I must admit I was a little weary at first but seeing pictures of the final results made me glad I did it.  I wouldn't back just anything, but if it's in bad shape and you can't find another.  I backed two posters I'm unlikely to find another of anytime soon, and both were in a condition that they wouldn't look very good framed the way they were so I felt it was worth the expense.

[stagecoach56]

http://theposterdoc.com/

[stagecoach56]

You have to watch the bleaching process carefully to avoid it lightening the colors.

[crowzilla]

What is going on in that poor Boys Town quad?
It appears you didn't address the poorly replaced piece of paper in the bottom right corner (or top right), some original paper that was in the bottom left appears to be missing and another piece of paper put in its place, but nothing was done to blend the new border paper in with the existing border.
But most distracting of all is the crossfold to the right of Tracy's head. What should have been a flattening of the fold with a dot of color is now a giant splotch of mismatched color and unfortunately the only thing I see when I look at the poster now (and to be fair, a similar spot above the "A" rating came out much better).

[stagecoach56]

I am curious what is your backing experience?

[stagecoach56]

Posters that look better restored.

[stagecoach56]

More restorations that increase value of the poster.

[crowzilla]

I am curious what is your backing experience?

Extensive.

Posters that look better restored.
More restorations that increase value of the poster.

Beauty is always going to be in the eye of the beholder. There are many collectors, like T and myself, that will only consider backed posters as an option of last resort, while there are others who happily back every poster they own.

A blanket statement about restoration increasing the value of the poster can also be misleading.
For example, the King Kong poster you have shown rarely tops $100-125 retail, so while linenbacking might increase the look (and by extension the selling price) of a low grade example, it would be difficult for the value to exceed the cost of the process. Same could be said for Lady's From Kentucky, Female on the Beach, or literally thousands of other low value posters.
It's not a horrible thing, it's just a fact that there are thousands, if not tens of thousands of low demand titles from all eras where the retail value of the poster will never exceed the cost of backing an example of the item.

[stagecoach56]

The owners of the posters I listed all made nice gains in auctions from the posters backed. My backing costs are much lower than high end backers, and the owners of the posters bought them way below value.
The owner of Boys Town had this to say-


I provide backing for the average collector who wants it backed, period.