Expert: Ben Mahmoud - 3/17/2008

Question
QUESTION: I recently purchased an Olympic poster of the Gymnast by Colleen Browning. It is a signed poster in excellent condiditon.  How do I obtain a certificate of authenticity? Do you know the approximate value of this item I purchased for 10.00 at an estate sale.

ANSWER: First, I do not think you can obtain a certificate of authenticity.  Who would issue it?  I can think of no agency that could.  However, it is possible that we can find some information about your poster.  But I will need more information.

Is there a date of those Olympic Games in the poster image?  Who signed it?  Can you make out the signature? Could it be Peter Max?

I want you to look at the poster with a magnifying glass. You will be looking to find if the poster were printed on a printing press or was done by serigraphy.  A poster printed from a press would usually have little dots to create the shades of color (look at a colored page in a magazine with the glass, and you will see what I mean).  If done by serigraphy you should be able to detect the very thin layers of ink.  You would not see this in a poster from a press.  If it was printed from a press, the value might not be great, but if it is signed by the artist or the gymnast, it might have some value.

You say it is excellent shape.  Here are some tips on keeping it that way. Keep it out of the sunlight at all costs.  Go to a local art supply store and see if you can buy some paper a little larger than the poster that has NO acid content.  Put the poster between these sheets.  If it is in a frame, remove it from the frame and put an acid free paper behind the print.

So, I look forward to more information, and we will see what we can find.

Under any circumstance, you got a great deal for $10.

Ben Mahmoud

---------- FOLLOW-UP ----------

QUESTION: I think it was printed on a printing press.  The signature is Collen Browning.  On the bottom of the poster it says Olympics 1976 and to the right of that is the United States Olympic committee Seal. Thank you.

Answer
You may have something that would be very attractive to a poster collector.  I cannot give you the value of the work, since this is outside of my expertise.

I will suggest that you go to this web site.  It is a outfit that has a collection of Olympic posters of gymnasts.

Here is the web address:

http://www.allposters.com/-st/Gymnastics-Olympics-Posters_c5804_.htm

They have a toll free phone number: 1 (888) 654-0143

It may be possible that they would be interested in the poster.

You can see that the printed posters do not have a very big price.  There are some that are photographs or limited editions that have better prices.  It is only because the gymnast signed the poster that may give it more than the usual price.

If nothing else, you can frame it and enjoy it.

Good luck to you.

Ben Mahmoud