Advanced movie art collectors should bear the following tips in mind. Studio art posters for movies released between 1939 and 2000 generally contain code numbers from the National Screen Service. Prior to the 1980s, most of the studio one-sheets were actually shipped to theaters folded in half. Thus, if you find an old poster with a crease in the middle, don't necessarily reject it for its condition. Keep an eye out for reproductions, reprints, and fakes. It can be difficult to tell these apart from regular one sheets. Look for fuzzy artwork or writing, particularly on the small scales. One telltale sign of a fake is its size. One-sheets by and large are all 27 inches by 41 inches--at least one-sheets produced prior to 1985. If a so-called original poster deviates too much from these basic measurements, chances are that it's a fake. Market value for movie art changes. There is no universal value guide for art commodities, so you have to do research and talk with your connections. Don't just go by a single evaluation, even if someone you trust gives it. The best protection against overvaluing or undervaluing pieces in your collection is persistence: get several professional evaluations in order to best price your piece. Consumer demand for artwork is often arbitrarily motivated. Examine the market carefully for so-called bubbles to make sure that you don't get caught up in the hype. It's better to spend your movie art collection money on moderate, intelligent buys than to gamble on a big-ticket purchase. As with real estate investing, diversification is key to protecting your pocketbook.
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