Restoration: The Art & Science of Poster Restoration

Motion picture advertising and other product advertising materials, by their very nature and purpose, have been considered a temporary means to an end with no thought of their future archival or collectable value. Use of inferior papers, non-fast inks, careless storage, and rough handling have contributed greatly to their deterioration. Exposure to dampness, smoke, extreme temperatures, and direct sunlight have also taken their toll on many now valuable pieces.

Without paper conservation, any advertising material created on paper will become yellow, brittle and weak. Paper is an organic, natural material, which deserves the same care reserved for fine woods, leathers and fabrics. The very chemicals used by paper manufacturers to produce it can turn into agents of decay and destruction as it ages. Left unattended, paper will eventually dry out and disintegrate. Carefully conserving materials, and embedding them with defensive chemicals to protect them from the ravages of time, ensures that they will remain durable enough to be enjoyed for generations to come.

In recent years an increasing demand for these treasures of movie history and other forms of collectable advertising from serious collectors has brought with it yet another wave of danger with amateur repairs. There are many well-meaning individuals whose efforts do far more harm than good because of their scotch tape, color markers and spray coatings. Such materials have their uses, but they are designed for totally different purposes. The damage such materials may cause far outweighs any short-term improvements in the poster’s superficial appearance.

We at Hollywood Poster Frames use a panel of restorers that are the best in their field and offer the finest degree of professional conservation, adhering strictly to the highest museum quality standards and employing time tested techniques, combined with the latest in conservation technology.

Using methods and materials once reserved only for “serious” works of art, our restoration team will clean, wash, stabilize, reconstruct and neutralize all of the destructive elements in your posters and artwork. Now, through our team of linenbackers, restoration is affordable and proper methods of conservation are available to preserve the legacy of movie materials.

Framing valuable movie posters for the studios and academies and other forms of collectable paper comprise a large part of our business. Many posters have been sitting in a vault or a cabinet for decades and are in definite need of restoration and linen backing. Our linenbackers take a stack of posters, many of them in pieces, from our framing facility back to their studio and then return them magically transformed into beautiful works of art. Our customers are continually amazed at the results of their handy-work. More importantly, we have east coast customers who often have waited six months or more for a movie poster to be linen backed from sources they found elsewhere. Often we’d see these posters in extremely poor condition, with mis-matched colors, heavy painting and obvious damage still apparent. Our studio accounts, as well as our individual collectors, not only require their work done in a timely manner, but place high importance on the quality of the restoration. We strive for the most reliable, quickest turnaround and fairest prices from our team, making your whole framing experience the best it can be.

If you choose to, you can send us your poster for linen backing and we’ll return it, totally custom framed to you, all in one easy step with no additional charges. We let our customers use our wholesale accounts with our linenbackers. Contact us to arrange this if interested.