Mel is a 42 year old attorney working for the the federal government. He lives and works in Washington, DC, and has been collecting movie posters since March 2009. In that short time, he has amassed an incredible collection of movie posters that currently numbers around 1,000!
How did your collection start? What was the first item in your collection?
Although I had purchased a few movie posters here and there in the years prior to 2009, my collecting saga really begins on March 20, 2009. I was wandering around downtown Denver during a ski trip when I spotted a movie poster store (Hollywood Movie Posters). I was immediately hooked! I’d joined art appreciation groups before and – frankly – the “prestige” art at museums bored me to tears. I could RELATE to these movie posters! Some of them featured artwork much more creative and intriguing than sleepy museum fare, some brought to mind my favorite movie memories, some were hilarious, and some were amazingly creative.
Approximately how many items are in your collection?
850 original movie posters plus 150 art prints, etc.
Do you have a favorite item in your collection?
Tough call but I’d have to say my Astounding She Monster one sheet takes the gold medal.
How do you store/display your collection?
I have 70 or so frames. I rotate most of my posters every month or so. I store the rest in a flat file cabinet.
Is there a “holy grail” item that you would love to add to your collection?
Prestige advance UK character one sheet posters. Also UK one sheet for Imaginarium of Dr. Parnassus.
Do you collect other things?
Nope, just movie posters
Do you have a favorite collecting story or experience?
I found an extremely rare Animal House one sheet poster posted in the wrong category. I got it for $100. It probably would sell for $500 – $1000 in a well-publicized auction.
Do you have any advice for new collectors who are just starting a collection?
The best bargains are on eBay and you must check all the poster auctions weekly, including Heritage, Emovieposter, and Movieposterbid. Use sniping software. Go to the movie poster forums (especially allposterforum.com) for help.
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I want to thank Mel for pulling back the velvet curtain and letting us see his amazing collection.
To read more about Mel’s movie poster collection, head over to his site www.posternirvana.com, which showcases his personal collection and framed movie posters. He also runs moviepostercollectors.com, which is a portal, reference, and showcase for the movie poster hobby. On the site, you can learn how to distinguish original movie posters from reprints, view many superior movie posters, link to outstanding personal collections, and movie poster websites, and much more.
If you would like to share your collection with other collectors, fill out the Cool & Collected Collector Profile and I’ll write up a post like the one above.
Mel, I live in the DC area and if you ever start selling tickets to your personal museum, I will be first in line. Your collection and taste in posters is excellent. I’ve been collecting posters for years but my collection pales in comparison–I bow down to your collecting prowess!
(If you ever get tired of looking at that ugly King Kong poster, let me know!)
Wow, very nice. I’ll be second in line!
I just love old movie posters the new ones now just don’t compare to the classics.