These posters were never meant to last. The earliest letterpress cinema posters were printed onto low-quality papers and not intended to have great longevity. The fact that these have survived gives an insight into the value that was seen in them at the time. With their bold and bright colours, they are eye catching. They advertised an exciting new form of entertainment, that was cutting edge technology.
Fig. 1 Before conservation, Crowle Picture House
Fig. 2 After conservation, Crowle Picture House
To be ready for exhibiting in ‘Picture House Past: Cinemas of North Lincolnshire’ from 22nd November 2025, North Lincolnshire Museum approached us to give them some care and attention. The posters had suffered much damage, being removed from their place of display and then stored inexpertly and folded for many years. They accumulated a lot of dust and dirt. Treatment started with photography and visual assessment of the damage. We began our treatment with surface cleaning, removing the dust and dirt. Past attempts at repairing some of the posters had used sticky tapes. Although done with good intentions, these tapes can cause staining and can make the tears worse. So, the tapes and adhesives were removed as well.
Fig. 3 Surface cleaning to remove dirtÂ
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Fig. 4 Surface cleaning a poster from Epworth Picture House
Conservators use water to clean paper. After testing the inks, these posters were immersed in a specially prepared washing bath. The paper was very fragile at this stage. Fragments of the paper had folded back on themselves. We very carefully unfolded and manipulated the paper back to where it belonged. We used pre-toned Japanese papers to fill the lacunae (losses). As the papers remain quite weak, some of them needed the additional support of a lining. We use strong, lightweight Japanese papers for lining, with a cooked wheat starch paste and applied with traditional Japanese brushes. Finally, they were mounted with acid-free board and fitted into smart, new exhibition frames.
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Fig. 5 After applying a lining paper and toned infill
Fig. 6 Retouching along larger creases with watercolour
The conservation of these posters was a challenging project due to the extent of the tears and losses however the vibrancy and joviality of the images made them a joy to work on. The materials these were made from may have been every day at the time, but what they represented to the person who originally saved them was a moment of thrilling advancement in technology, being made accessible and affordable! The satisfaction of giving them a new lease of life for this exhibition is enormous.
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Fig. 7 The Gold Rush, before conservation
Fig. 8 The Gold Rush, after conservation and mounting
See these and more early cinema posters in the exhibition below:
