You liked the film? Then you'll love the poster

You liked the film? Then you'll love the poster

If investing in stocks and shares sounds rather dull, why not put a proportion of your spare cash into something a little more artistic, such as film posters?

Specialists at auction houses Bonhams and Christie's are expecting prices for the right posters to remain strong - and if you think you can spot the next Pulp Fiction-style cult classic, you could make a killing.

For several years film posters have been making serious money. However, this is still not an investment for those seeking guaranteed returns.

For every rare copy of the poster promoting the 1932 horror classic, The Mummy, which made £280,000 when it was sold in 1997, there's a roomful of old posters worth little more than £20.

The market is sufficiently "mature" to allow investors to buy in the safe knowledge of what's not only going to hold its value, but also what should, hopefully, appreciate.

"I always advise buyers to go for something they love, rather than something they think will shoot up in value," says Bonhams' film poster specialist, Stephanie Connell.

She says there are a few general rules that should be followed.

"In general, the earlier the film, the better, and it's the cult posters that remain the most valuable. Condition is very important - as is the artwork. Some poster artists have become collectible in their own right.

"Generally, they are worth more in the original language that the film was made in, but there are exceptions.".....continued below

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She says anything to do with Audrey Hepburn and Marilyn Monroe are always in demand. Those for early James Bond movies regularly top £2,500.

All-time classics such as Casablanca, Gone With The Wind, The Godfather, 1940s film noirs, and 1950s Hitchcock movies always do well. The prices for the most basic, in-demand, posters are typically upwards of £3,000.

At the top end of the spectrum, an original for Fritz Lang's 1927 science fiction film Metropolis sold in 1995 for a record £397,762. A US collector bought the art deco work by graphic artist Heinz Schulz-Neudamm - one of only four known copies - through London's Reel Poster Gallery.

Ms Connell says that investors with slightly less to invest should focus on what they think will be the future classics. "One poster that's starting to become collectible is Toy Story. A few years ago these were worth very little - now they are selling for £200-£300. Things like Withnail And I are becoming popular, and in our latest sale we were offering Thunderbirds posters," she says. Bonhams holds three sales a year.

Over at Christie's they deal in posters made as recently as the 1970s. Its next sale is in March.

If you prefer to use a dealer, the internet is awash with them. One of the most respected here is The Reel Poster Gallery, 72 Westbourne Grove, London, W2 or go to reelposter.com

guardian.co.uk © Guardian Newspapers Limited 2008