Posters & Lobby Cards

Before trailers played everywhere, paper sold the movies. Posters went up outside the cinema, and lobby cards, small printed scene cards issued in sets, filled the frames inside. This section covers the history of that paper: the formats, the artists, the design styles and how to look after it.

What are lobby cards? explains how they were made and used, and movie poster sizes sorts out one-sheets, half-sheets, inserts and window cards. Classic movie posters follows how design changed from the 1920s to the 1970s.

For anyone with old paper at home, storing vintage movie posters covers storage and display that avoid damage. The section never gives prices, valuations or authentication opinions, and does not buy, sell or point to sellers.