What is Linen Backing?

You may notice that many of our Original Vintage Posters are listed as having been "archivally backed onto linen". This refers to the museum standard process of preserving vintage and antique paper. The poster is treated on its back with acid-free, water soluble methyl cellulose adhesive and affixed onto an acid-free barrier paper that has been joined with linen on its back. This process creates an archival backing for the poster, which protects it from damage in handling and shipping, resists mold and residue, and also helps the poster lay flat within a frame. This process serves to protect the original poster, and often increases its value.

Some of our newer posters may not require this archival backing process, while others may have been printed using a method that does not make linen-backing a safe option (screen-prints, for example, are rarely able to be backed without damaging the poster itself). These items are listed throughout our site as being "printed on paper".