Cecil Beaton - Centenaire de monte carlo

badly damaged usually means bad news.

could it be restored?

yes, I believe it can be.

Two restorers have seen the pictures, and both are optimistic.

Apparently it can be restored to stabilise and make it frameable - cost a.
or
restored to pristine - cost b.

But it's hard to make a decision without knowing if the piece of art itself has any value, and also who to trust to do the work.

(thanks dadpad!)

I've got no idea. However an object is only worth as much as someone will pay for it.

Look to recent/past sales of the artist work. Research the artist. Did he have close associates or known periods. Sometimes sales of similar work or associates work may be a clue.

Is the provinence proven and documented?

it was a present to my husband from the artist. He has had it since he was a child, (he also put it on his wall with blutac, cut the borders off and has sellotaped it up in one place).

Cecil only ever did one poster in his lifetime. So I cannot find a comparison. His artwork goes from £250 to £48,000 from what I've found! He is more well known for photography. This poster was a commission, and all he has done. Copies of the poster go for £50 for new prints to £1 - 2,000 for original prints.

http://www.internationalposter.com/poster-details.aspx?id=MCL09315

it's this one.

Lots of work listed at southebys

625 pound sterling


3750 pound

Museums might me more forth coming with price estimates.

Any letters exchanged with your husband? Anything with the artists handwriting especially mentioning the poster.

ah ok - that never occurred to me.

I'll call the local museum on Monday and see if they can throw any light.

The thing is it's nothing like those costume designs at all (and look at the price difference between them - it really makes no sense to me at all). Thanks for the museum suggestion though, I bet they could recommend someone to restore it to.

I offered to frame it for my fella's birthday gift before he dragged it out of the garage and I saw it. I thought it was just a poster he had as a kid. Never occurred to me it was original art, or that I'd have to get it restored to... Still, I'm determined to do it right.

the poster is signed by the artist. My hubs uncle was his butler - he could verify the gift probably if it was important, but it was a gift to hubs when he was a small boy.

he's got pictures as well. But fortunately for me I only promised to frame the poster!

The National Portrait Gallery (London) have some kind of a collection of drawings of Beatons I believe. They may be interested in the drawing as is and have their own people restore it. Deals can be done, maybe ask thenm to restore it and make it on perpetual loan to them unless sold.

I'm out of my depth here so just offering some suggestions not advice

thanks - it's nice to be out of my depth with someone else too. I've been out of my depth on my own for a couple of days now.

that's the kiddy!