Introducing a series of interviews with print collectors

[vonscaramouche]

I thought it would be interesting to present the thoughts and opinions of print collectors in the format of interviews and as such I am introducing a series of interviews that will be published on my blog. I'll post interview excerpts in this thread soon after each new interview is published.

The purpose of the interviews is straightforward: To discuss one’s passion and insights about collecting prints and to share information that will hopefully be helpful to other collectors.

If some of you have suggestions for additional questions or would like to propose a candidate for these email interviews, please contact me at: info at vonscaramouche dot com. I hope you will enjoy them.

denis

[vonscaramouche]

So here is the first interview in the series done with Mr. Jay Shaw from Denver. Below you'll find his answers to a few of the questions and you can read the interview in its entirety here: http://blog.vonscaramouche.com/print-collectors-an-interview-with-jay-shaw/


vS: How and when did you become aware the world of limited edition prints? What drew you in?

JS: Well I used to collect theatrical movie posters. Actually “collect” might not be accurate. Horde is more like. I’m a nut for movies and I’ve always had an affection for some of the gorgeous posters that are released with films. About two and a half years ago I was over at a friend’s house and he showed me a poster on his computer he thought I’d like. He knew John Carpenter’s The Thing was one of my all time favorite movies and a little website called Mondotees just happened to be selling a screen printed “Thing” poster from an artist named Tyler Stout. I told him I liked it but it was a little “cartoony” for my tastes and way too expensive (I think it was $30 or something at the time). Later that night (yes, that poster was available for like an entire week back then) I went home and checked it out again and decided to go ahead and purchase it. Figured it’d be something I could hang in my kid’s room. When the poster arrived and I got a look at it up close I fell in love and so it began.

vS: To what extent will you research an artist and his works before making a purchase? Will the ‘buzz / hype’ related to a release influence your decision to buy a print?

JS: I try really hard not to get wrapped up in hype when it comes to posters. It makes people do things they normally wouldn’t do. Most of my favorite artists have little to no popular following but put out some of the hottest work on paper. Whenever I need to remind myself that hype is just, well, hype, I take a look at whatever mess Mister Brainwash last pooped out and thank Christmas I have more brains than money. That is, to say, I don’t have much money.

vS: In a situation where you are seeking a print that matters to you and the print is only available on the secondary market, tell us about what you will typically do to locate and get the print?

JS: A good portion of my “white whales” are extremely hard to find posters from years and years ago so just seeing one pop up for sale is a bit of an event in itself. I try to avoid online auction sites as much as possible and stick with poster communities like Expressobeans. You tend to get a more realistic idea of what you can expect to pay if you stick to poster specific venues. Also if you hook folks up with posters they want you find yourself on the receiving end of that kindness more often than not. Bronze rule and all that.

[Zach Hobbs]

convince them to buy our prints. Thanks. Zach

[crosshair]

...will you do the Fandango?

[vonscaramouche]

Thunderbolt and lightning, very, very frightening me

[crosshair]

Galileo!

[SkatRadioh]

Been reading blog for quite a bit now. Keep it up!

I second Zach, you can interview me. ;D

I was thinking about starting to do something similar with my blog.

[alexfugazi]

Ask the collectors why some of them are freaking crazy.

[bathroom monkey]

Ask the collectors why some of them are freaking crazy.

haw. collectors are one of the reasons i don't buy much these days. i have too much as it is but "collectors" suck the fun out of life.

[stsmytherie]

Ask the collectors why some of them are freaking crazy.

It takes all kinds.

Herb and Dorothy