How to tell if movie poster is vintage?

mrgr8ness

Well-Known Hunter
Local CL add selling a framed original Star Wars movie poster. How can you tell if its real or not?-

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From what I've heard the back will have a black light responsive stamp on it. Not sure if there's anything else.
Hope that helps.
 
Legitimate movie posters have a mirror image printed on the back that exactly matches what is on the front. However, I am only certain that that applies to today's movie posters; I am not sure if they were like that back in '77.
 
Legitimate movie posters have a mirror image printed on the back that exactly matches what is on the front. However, I am only certain that that applies to today's movie posters; I am not sure if they were like that back in '77.

They didn't really start doing that as a common practice until the 80's when backlit poster cases became all the rage at the multiplexes. And anyway, double sided posters can also be faked and have been for years. And there are a bazillion fake Star Wars movie posters out there.
 
like lufo said, double sided posters didn't get big until the late 80's to early 90's. and even now that sometimes doesn't happen. another thing that companies did was to fold the poster into 8th's and ship them flat to theaters instead of rolled like they are today; they didn't care about creases back then.

*edit*

just remembered, a real movie one-sheet is right in the neighborhood of 27"x40" or larger, sometimes you'll see one that is 26"x39" but if you're looking at a poster that's only 24"x36" that is not a movie poster, that's a poster you go buy in a store like walmart or hastings.
 
Trouble is they do reprints in 27x40 as well. Was thinking of taking a look at it, but want to know what to look for first.
 
Having just bought an origional, there are a couple of ways.

origionals are 27 x 41, the modern reprints are 27 x 40. the main things to look for are

style A, a hair on lukes belt - fake
style b, no gau logo on the bottom - fake
style c, a hair on leia's back - fake

rolled posters are like gold dust, you should see fold marks because in the 70's movie posters were folded before posting to the theaters. if it helps, the guy i bought mine from has some others he is selling (he is trying to fund a couple of new tk projects. I could hook you up?

Garreth
 
The problem I can see is twofold, do you ask the store to remove it from the frame for inspection, do they even know its a fake? Apparently there is a theory that the bootlegs were restrikes from the origional plates that got damaged (hence the hair) but if that is true then for me, they were not issued ergo are fakes. I guess its like anything, lots of research and try to buy from somewhere reputable that only deals in movie posters. I got my star wars from a sskunky over on the fisd/rpf forum and I know he has more for sale (reputable route). The empire and rotj came from internet movie poster dealers, who offered a full refund if not satisfied. I looked at the movie poster forum (there is a list of reputable dealers on there) and chose what i could afford from there.
to give you an idea, star wars was £420, empire (gone with the wind style) was £160 (bargain) and the rotj was only about 75 quid. That said you can pay an awful lot more
 
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