Tip of the Week: 1920s Lobby Cards

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Posted By: Hankron

Assuming there would be no objections, I thought I would post my tip of the week here.

I had mentioned earlier that I highly recommend that advanced collectors and dealers buy a microscope of 80x or higher power. This tip of the day requires access to one.


UNDER THE MICROSCOPE: 1920s LOBBY CARDS AND COLLOTYPE PRINTING


* WHAT IS A LOBBY CARD?: A lobby card is essentially a miniature movie poster that is displayed within the movie theatre. They often show various scenes from the upcoming movie, and usually come in sets. For example, 7 different lobby cards would be displayed throughout the theatre.


* SCENARIO: Let’s say, while on vacation, you stop by a little antique shop and see for sale a 1920s Red Grange or Babe Ruth (or Greta Garbo or Charlie Chaplin) lobby card that just have to have. The problem is that you have little to no experience with movie memorabilia. You have no knowledge about lobby card reprints or counterfeits. In fact, someone once told you that movies were often re-issued years later and new lobby cards would be made. You wouldn’t hesitate to pay the $300 price tag for the Red Grange lobby card if you could be sure it was original— but the problem is you aren’t sure.


* 1920s LOBBY CARDS AND COLLOTYPE PRINTING

Many, though not all, 1920s lobby cards were printed with a process called ‘collotype.’ This was a high quality and expensive process, that is still used today by some fine artists.

If a 1920s lobby card has a photographically realistic image, but is not real photo (actual photo), it is likely a collotype. Collotype is such a high quality form of printing, that the images are often mistaken for actual photographs.

Due to its high expense and limited printing run (one could only print a small number before the prining plate would wear out), in the 1930s the movie studios discontinued the process and started making lobby cards with different printing processes.


IDENTIFYING COLLOTYPE PRINTING

In general, collotype printing has a distinct matte (not glossy) surface and, as mentioned, high quality images. However, the true way to identify a collotype is with a microscope of 80x or higher power.

Collotype produces a unique microscopic ink pattern. This pattern cannot be seen with the naked eye and, unlike many modern baseball cards, usually not even with a magnifying glass.

Under the microscope the ink has a reticulated pattern, that often looks like noodles or squiggles (remember "1920s lobby card = noodles"). This is what it looks like. There will be variations from collotype to collotype. Sometimes the squiggles will be closer to partial circles.



As you can see, this pattern is different than the dots many are used to.


Not all 1920s lobby cards are collotypes. However, if the photographically-realistic image on that lobby card looks like that under the microscope, and there are no other problems with the card, you can almost be certain that it is the real deal.

Many people lament that microscopic examination is a laborious process. However, many good microscopes can be carried in your pocket and it can take, say, 20 seconds to see if a lobby card is a collotype.


WANT TO PRACTICE AT HOME?: Many (not all) 1910s-20s postcards are collotypes. For example, all those ‘Albertype’ (Albertype printed on back) postcards of nearing real photo quality are collotypes. Many WWI-era postcards with realistic images are collotypes. I have a bunch of my grandfather’s souvenir postcards from WWI France, and many of them are collotypes.