Hand painted crates and sandwich boards were the first forms of movie advertising. However, the turn of the century saw the introduction of posters with vibrant colors and pictures and limited words. These old movie posters were used to promote a variety of products and services, including the early cinema.

One of the best ways of maintaining the value of an old movie poster is to restore it. If you plan to remove tape residue, rubber cement thinner is very effective. Using a q-tip, rub a small amount on the spot to be removed. Be careful not remove the poster ink. If the old movie poster is very valuable or if there is lots of tape residue, it is better to have it restored by a professional. Old movie posters were printed on high-acid, low-grade paper. So the process of deacidification helps arrest the deterioration.

There are three methods of de-acidification -- linen backing/mounting, lamination and encapsulation. The process of linen mounting is when a restorer fuses the old movie poster onto linen fabric. The poster is strengthened, facilitating necessary repairs and reducing the possibility of the poster getting torn through mishandling. In lamination, there is a clear coating on both the front and back of the poster. If the poster is to be handled a lot, this makes it more durable. However, this process should be handled by an expert, as there is a possibility of destroying the intrinsic value of the poster. In encapsulation, the old movie poster is first de-acidified and then sealed in an acid-free polyester enclosure. This process protects the poster from handling, and keeps it free from dirt and air contaminants.