Linen Backing

Historically movie posters were printed on very poor quality acidic paper, then folded before being issued to cinemas, often displayed using drawing pins or tape. As the poster ages the paper becomes brittle with the acids pulling the colour from the poster. It is therefore of little surprise that posters are often found in poor condition with wear to the fold lines, pin-holes, multiple tears to the edges, creasing and paper loss.  

Linen backing is the process by which the poster is mounted onto linen/canvas resulting in the halting of many of the issues outlined above and therefore helping to preserve and extend the life of the movie poster.

During linen backing, a poster is ‘washed’ and affixed to Japanese paper before being mounted onto linen/canvas using wheat-based adhesives, making the whole process fully reversible. A gentle cleanser may be applied to even out paper tone. Condition issues such as paper loss, fold separation and more may be repaired and touched up using water-soluble pigments.

 

 

Linen backing is first and foremost a preservation and stabilisation technique that achieves the effect of softening the folds as well as making the poster more visually alluring, whilst stabilising, conserving and preserving the poster.

 

You Only Live Twice - Before

You Only Live Twice - Before

You Only Live Twice - After

You Only Live Twice - After

 

Linen Backing Price List

Poster Type Poster Size Cost
British Quad 40” x 30” (102 x 76 cm) £135.00
British One Sheet 27” x 40” (69 x 102 cm) £125.00
British Double Crown 20” x 30” (51 x 76 cm) £95.00
British Three Sheet 81” x 41” (206 x 104 cm) £325.00
American Insert 14” x 36” (36 x 91 cm) £95.00
American Half Sheet 28” x 22” (71 x 56 cm) £95.00
American One Sheet 27” x 41” (69 x 104 cm) £125.00
Australian Daybill 13” x 30” (33 x 76 cm) £95.00
French Moyenne 32” x 24” (80 x 60 cm) £105.00
French Grande 63” x 47” (160 x 120 cm) £325.00
Italian Locandina 13” x 28” (33 x 71 cm) £95.00
Italian 2 Fogli 39” x 55” (99 x 140 cm) £280.00
Italian 4 Fogli 55” x 79” (140 x 200 cm) £330.00

 

Where posters have become scarred or damaged we can arrange for a certain amount of remedial restoration work to be carried out. Incidences of paper loss can be rectified with in-filling and colour loss to fold lines can be rectified with touching-in. However we would recommend that any such restoration be kept to a minimum and be done in such a manner as not to compromise the integrity of the poster itself.

If any additional restoration work is required it will be charged at £30.00 per hour.