All About Vintage Posters
Mike Williams is known for his beautiful and unique vintage posters of Florida, but do you know the history behind them, where they are used today, and who loves to collect them?
The History of Vintage Prints
Vintage signs have been around for decades and were the original form of promoting products back in the late 1800s and early 1900s. Companies would create retro art for the products they wanted to advertise—everything from food, liquor, entertainment, travel destinations, and more—and have it plastered onto buildings in high-traffic areas. Due to the exposure of rain and the prints getting torn down or covered by other announcements, they didn’t last long and had to be frequently replaced with new images.
How Vintage Advertisements Were Originally Created
During the early years of vintage posters, the process for creating them was so complicated that they were limited in how many could be created – typically no more than 3,000. Printmakers used stone lithography to make copies of the original art created by artists. This type of printmaking uses oil, water, and lithographic limestone to reproduce the artwork onto the newspaper-like paper.
Who Loves to Collect Vintage Posters
People who purchase this vintage art for all different reasons. Some people like a specific image or artist, while others are looking for pieces with a particular color scheme or theme to go with other décor in the room the art will be displayed. Other people are drawn to the style of the artist.
How Vintage Prints were Originally Sold
Back in the early 1900s, art dealers would purchase copies of these advertising posters and sell them to their customers as artwork for their businesses and homes. The art dealers would find the artists and printmakers and purchase extra copies of the artwork, then they would have them available in their shops so clients could buy them at a premium price.
Who Collects Mike Williams’ Vintage Art
People who collect the art of Mike Williams, love his vintage style that brings early Florida to life in his illustrations. He has a unique way of telling a story about a time in Florida when bicycles, boats, trains, and seaplanes were the primary mode of transportation, and weekends were spent surfing and fishing.
Where to View Vintage Artwork
Today, you can find these classic prints all over the world. Original vintage posters from the 1900s have been restored and reprinted on sturdy poster paper. You can see vintage posters on display in people’s homes, businesses, hotels, and restaurants.
In people’s homes, they use these colorful and stunning prints as the primary focus of a living or family room, and you can also find them in kitchens, bathrooms, home offices, and bedrooms.
Businesses have vintage posters on display in lobbies, hallways, and even conference rooms. Many companies use them to spark creativity in their employees, promote the products or services they sell, or inspire a specific mood in their clients.
Hotels and restaurants use vintage prints to create a specific ambiance for their clientele.