Our Products
Information
About Us
AntikBar is the London gallery specialising in original vintage posters covering a wide variety of subjects - travel, advertising, sport, cinema, war, propaganda - from around the world. Our stock is available to view at our gallery and on our website.
Services: We offer collection advice and consultancy services and can source posters for collectors, individual clients, interior designers, museums and other institutions. Worldwide delivery. We also offer professional linen backing and poster restoration services with our partners in California.
Events: We host regular original vintage poster auctions, exhibitions and talks at our gallery and participate in other events during the year. We are also available to give educational art history talks and organise special exhibitions.
Antikbar Books: Our collection of antique and vintage book design and related ephemera covering the major art movements primarily from the 1920s-1930s, including Constructivism, Art Deco and Modernism, is available on our books website at www.AntikbarBooks.co.uk.
Gallery address: 404 King's Road, Chelsea, London SW10 0LJ. Opening hours: Monday-Friday 10am-6pm; Saturday 11am-5pm (by appointment only on Sundays and bank holidays*). Open Online 24/7 with worldwide delivery.
*Click here for more information, including directions and any upcoming bank holiday weekend and other holiday closure dates. Please scroll down for feature links and customer testimonials, and click here to join our newsletter mailing list.
AntikBar is a Member of The Association of Art & Antiques Dealers (LAPADA), Antiquarian Booksellers' Association (ABA) and International Vintage Poster Dealers' Association (IVPDA). Finalist in the Independent Retailer of the Year category of the Royal Borough of Kensington and Chelsea Business Awards. Member of the King's Road Business Forum. Founding Member of the King's Road Curve neighbourhood business group.
Kirill Kalinin, Founder of AntikBar: "My interest in original vintage poster art and graphic design started in 1993 when I saw an exhibition poster for The Great Utopia: The Russian and Soviet Avant-Garde 1915-1932 at the Guggenheim Museum in New York. The boldness and sheer visual impact of the image, the composition and bold, bright colours made a lasting impression on me and I decided to look into acquiring some works from that period. After several years of collecting (during my career in finance), I founded AntikBar as an online gallery in 2010. Due to increasing demand from clients wishing to view our posters between fairs, we opened our gallery on the King's Road in 2016. We then opened our books website, focusing on graphic design and related ephemera, in 2018." Kirill served as President of the International Vintage Poster Dealers' Association (IVPDA) from 2018-2023. In 2019 he launched the IVPDA publication, Vintage Poster, available to read online at www.issuu.com.
Posters are a true form of art with a purpose as they were designed to deliver a particular message through striking designs. These original vintage posters were created to grab the attention of passers-by, presenting artists with the challenge of condensing the message or a concept into a precise, short visual and written form in a single artwork. They are important items of social history that capture the essence of the time they were printed. As antique and vintage items, they are also eco-friendly. Original vintage posters are recognised as a sound art investment that can be enjoyed every day.
Posters were elevated to an art form by French artists at the end of the 19th century. The standards set by the French poster designers raised the bar for other countries and led to a wider acceptance of this media by the art community. Being very topical, posters absorbed and reflected the prevailing and changing art styles and fashions at a rapid pace and became part of the avant-garde art movement.
(Read also the features on AntikBar and collecting posters by Homes & Antiques in their Summer 2017 and Christmas 2016 issues and by Antique Collecting and Invaluable; a 2017 article on travel posters in Period Living; the Financial Times, The Times and Luxury Living Magazine round-up in January 2015; an FT feature on their How to Spend It Art page; and the Art, Antiques and Luxury Design blog — all listed on our News & Events pages with other poster-related information, including links to our Special Information pages on skiing, London Underground, constructivism etc. and Tips on Looking After original vintage posters.)
Practically all of the posters found on our website are lithographs. This is a method of printing that involves carving each colour of the image onto a piece of stone. The poster sheet is then imprinted consecutively with a stone slab for each colour, creating a stunning and rich image. With the exception of silk printing, I believe that other printing techniques do not deliver the same impact of colour as lithography.
We are available to give collection advice and have produced a short Introduction to Collecting Posters booklet, which is available at our gallery and online. We have also set up a YouTube channel with Tips on Packing Posters (more coming soon). Please contact us if you would like any more information, and follow us on IG and FB @AntikBar.co.uk and on Twitter X and Pinterest @AntikBar for our regular updates, news and features.
Customer Testimonials
Here are a few comments from customers who have ordered posters from our website and customers who have used our poster restoration services, as well as visitors who have left us general comments about our gallery and events:
Orders (Website & Auction)
"Thank you for your professional service. I received the poster today and it’s fantastic. I look forward to working with you again and visiting your shop when next in London. A."
"A note to thank you for the poster...ordered yesterday, received this morning in Scotland, sensibly packed and fairly described. That’s customer service. Many thanks, C."
"Very fast overseas shipping! Excellent packaging. Great buyer experience! S."
"Beautiful poster, safely delivered. The condition is just as described if not better. D."
"Great and easy experience, received the piece within only a few days even with international shipping! H."
"I just received the poster back from framing and it is lovely. Thank you very much! N."
"My poster arrived a day early :) It's such a great poster. All the items I've bought from you so far have been tremendous. I especially appreciate the care you take in packing and shipping. Thanks so much. T."
"Wow. The poster arrived and it is just so lovely it made D. cry she was so touched. A."
"My posters arrived today in Los Angeles, and they are stunning. Even better than I expected! Each one is more interesting and vibrant than the next – you can really feel how intoxicating that imagery must have been to potential travelers from Europe in the 1930s. Thanks again and now I'm keeping an eye out for Round II! S."
"All good. Thanks for the super fast delivery. M."
"I wanted to let you know that I am very happy with the two posters that I purchased from you! Thank you so much! B."
"Thank you so much for the posters. They are lovely! We will be back for more soon. P."
"We are delighted with the posters! Many thanks, M."
"Looks great, very happy with the poster - I'm getting it framed now. Will certainly look to you for future business! S."
"I just want to tell you that the poster, which is gorgeous, could not have been packed better for shipping. Outstanding care, which is most appreciated! H."
"Received my poster today. Amazing! 100% Satisfied in every way. Fast shipping! Thank you, D."
"Thank you very much for your quick and efficient service. The poster arrived this morning and it is fantastic. A."
"I just received the three posters that I purchased in your recent auction. Very pleased with the posters and the fast shipping. I wanted to give you a big thumbs up on the way that you run your auctions. Please keep me on your mailing list. E."
"Great poster. Beautifully packaged and delivered. This was perfect. M."
"I received the poster in good order. It is a beautiful poster, very nostalgic where I can easily dream away, back into my native Holland. It was also very well packed, very professional. Thank you! Best wishes from Dubai, J."
"The poster arrived safely and it is amazing! I worked a 14 hour day yesterday, got home after midnight, opened it and was so tired but really had a magic of a moment looking at it and the true colors. I've lived 20 years with a reproduction of this poster. I will treasure this (original) version until the last of my days. Thank you for making this possible. N."
"Was scouring the Internet for a very particular and hard-to-find vintage travel poster, AntikBar was the only place anywhere that had it. The price was very fair, the condition was even better than I expected and the shipping (to the US) was a breeze. Would definitely look to use them again as I expand my collection! S."
"The posters arrived safely at the National Library yesterday. They’re very beautiful and in great condition. Thank you very much. P."
"Thank you for the prompt delivery of the poster. It's fabulous and in great condition, as promised. A."
"Thank you very much; the poster arrived a couple of days ago and in perfect state; I tremendously appreciate your assistance in this matter and am looking forward to searching your store for more goodies as well as your auction coming up. F."
"Great experience overall. Responded very quickly and packaged and mailed professionally. A."
"I greatly appreciate Antikbar's fast and efficient processing of my poster order. I had been searching for this particular poster for several years and I'm very pleased to have been able to finally find one and add it to my collection. Many thanks! P."
"It's fun buying from you guys! Keep up the good work! R."
"My item arrived yesterday in great shape and fast. Great experience all the way around. J."
"Just received it - many thanks for the prompt and hassle-free service! G."
"A plus. Great communication and fast shipping. The proprietor of the boutique was very nice and answered my questions quickly. I love my piece and just put it in a place where I can enjoy looking at it every day. The item was delicate and packed with care. I would not hesitate to work with them again. L."
"Very pleased with purchase. Item exactly as described and in great condition. M."
"Beautiful posters swiftly and safely delivered. A."
"Poster received. Even better than I had expected. Good colors, condition, overall presentation. Thank you, very much indeed. G."
"I am writing to say thank you for your superior customer service. The auction closed Saturday and my parcel arrived in the US today, just four days later! Thanks again! B."
"I just received the poster. It is absolutely beautiful and I am very happy with it. Thank you. I."
"Extremely easy, efficient and professional. Very pleased. Thank you! P."
"Thank you again for the poster. It arrived the day after we got home. I'm so pleased to have it. I haven't had it framed yet, but it's next in line. Hope to stop in the next time I'm in London. J."
"The poster was received and looks great! Thank you for excellent service. M."
"Quick, excellent shipping to the USA delivered from England in less than a week. I am always amazed! C."
"The poster has arrived. It looks fantastic. Thank you very much. I hope to make more purchases soon. A."
"I got the poster today and am very happy with it! You did a stunningly good packaging job! Really trustworthy! Thanks from the Netherlands! P."
"Great service and very quick delivery even now [March 2020] - thank you so much! S."
"The poster arrived and I am absolutely delighted with it. I also want to thank you for packing it the way you did. I was very impressed. I have enjoyed doing with business with you and look forward to doing further business with you in the future. R."
"Wow my posters from the auction just arrived! I'm in love! ...amazing! M."
"Great seller, timely, and professional! T."
"Thank you again for the stellar service on each transaction over the years, this last set of posters arrived at the museum Monday at noon, perfectly packed! As usual! C."
"Thanks for the fantastic zoo poster. It is visually stunning and already a firm favourite with my family who aren't usually poster lovers! N."
"My poster was packaged very well and arrived very quickly. L."
"The condition was very clear in the description and the photos of the poster matched exactly what we received. The item was packaged nicely and arrived on time (from the UK to the US). I would not hesitate to buy another poster from you. P."
"My poster arrived this morning - super service, thank you! C."
"Wanted to let you know the poster arrived today. It looks great! Thanks for your help with this, really appreciated. T."
"I'm giddy with excitement over the vintage British Railways poster that I just bought for my home-office. K."
"Poster arrived yesterday. Love it! Thank you for sending so quickly. I am a collector and have a new store to keep my eye on. Pleasure doing business with you. D."
"Awesome poster, fast responses and shipping, thank you so much! B."
"My poster [won at auction] arrived just after 9am this morning and I am delighted with it. As always it is a pleasure doing business with you and I look forward to doing more in future. Many thanks, R."
"Poster received, promptly and in good condition. Excellent work! Thanks, J."
"Completely satisfied - exceeded expectations. Shipment from the UK to the States within three days. The accuracy of the condition of the poster was as advertised - excellent. I was very pleased with both the quality and rating. I would use AntikBar again without hesitation. M."
"Love it. Fast delivery, good condition. F."
"The poster arrived today and it looks fantastic. Better than I imagined. Many thanks, what a great and interesting shop! S."
"As a frequent buyer at their auctions I have to commend the excellent customer service, reasonable postage rates and reliably safe packing of the posters."
"The poster is even better in person. Shipping was fast. Great seller! S."
"This is an absolutely beautiful poster, just as described. Packing of the poster was professional. Thank you so much! C."
"Perfect! I wish buying groceries was this easy! Appreciated! R."
"Excellent, professional and very fast shipping [UK to USA] at a reasonable cost! Would highly recommend! C."
"The service you provide is fantastic. Turn around time from the end of the auction to the payment to ship out is the best out there. By far. Please keep procuring interesting posters too! J."
"Perfect experience. Very trusted dealer. D."
"A big thank you for the way you packed my posters, arrived on time in excellent condition. 5 stars to your packing department service. P."
"Appreciate you greatly for such a wonderful auction and the ease with which you engineered the transaction...just wanted to write and say thank you. K."
"Wow! New pieces just came - what a speedy arrival. They're just fantastic in person. S."
"I have been buying posters on the internet for close to 25 years and this auction house is the best I have ever dealt with-you could rank them at the top for all sellers and not just auction houses. Their response on invoicing and packing and shipping is immediate and very professional. I wish all sellers were this good at it. J."
"Brilliant service as usual - all received. Thank you for the lightning fast dispatch! P."
"Thank you for your excellent service and quality product. The poster is better than we'd expected or hoped for, and it was so carefully packaged. We truly appreciate your attention to detail. Your knowledge, responsiveness, shipping speed, and packaging were all top-notch. J."
"Fantastic service from start to finish. Very helpful and always quick to respond to questions and provide additional images. 10/10. C."
"Shipping was very fast, particularly from overseas, and item was exactly as described. R."
"The poster arrived today, super-fast, superbly packed...and we absolutely love it. It’s even better than I imagined, if that’s possible. We’re thrilled, thank you so much for getting it to us so quickly. F."
"I bought a magnificent poster - it is absolutely stunning! The poster was immediately shipped to me, and it arrived in excellent condition! M."
Restoration Services
"Can I say a big thank you to everyone who was involved in the restoration of the Steve McQueen Bullitt poster. I have been blown away at the standard of work carried out by all who worked on it and the easiness of communication. It’s now being framed and will be in pride of place shortly. I hope this will be the first of many projects. Many thanks, D."
"I received the quad this morning, and all I can say is I'm 100% satisfied, the linen-backing & restoration are flawless - Poster Mountain have done the best work I've ever seen and I hope to have many more posters done by them. Thanks again, B."
"Got my posters today and they look great. Thank you so much once again. M."
"Super job! I have just compared the latest image to the one I took before I sent the poster to you. What a transformation. I’ll certainly want to use you / Poster Mountain again. S."
"Poster received with thanks - they have made a fantastic job of the restoration. G."
"Once again Poster Mountain have done a superb job, thanks very much. B."
"Fantastic service and quality - have had many vintage posters linen backed through Antikbar and Poster Mountain and they've never ceased to impress. Superb results. M."
"I received the poster, thanks. It really looks stunning! N."
→ Visit www.antikbar.co.uk/poster_restoration for more information on our linen backing and poster restoration services, which we offer in partnership with Poster Mountain in California.
General Feedback (Gallery, Website & Events)
"Very good indeed. W."
"I just wanted to drop you a quick note to say how much I enjoyed the Cunard talk last night. It was very interesting and I could happily have listened to more. Thanks once again for putting it on. T."
"Very good. An interesting collection, something for everyone. Thank you, M."
"If you are looking for original vintage posters this is the shop to visit in London. D."
"I've died and gone to heaven! A."
"I very much enjoyed the event this evening and learned a lot from your talk! Many thanks, M."
"I regret that I am unable to visit your shop at this time but I really am amazed at your website and collection. Thank you very much. J."
"Always fun to stop here. Fantastic stock! T."
"The shop you need to visit in London if you love original vintage posters! Lots of great stuff. D."
"Such a cool store; I love it! C."
"Excellent collection, super customer service. T."
"Such an interesting place for anyone remotely interested in original vintage posters, or even simply history over the past couple of years. The wide variety of themes - travel, movies, war, etc really go far to create a sense of what life must have been like for the 0000s of people who have gazed on these individual posters in decades past. Lots kept safely downstairs so check online too. Kirill, the owner, is fascinating to speak to too. A."
You can also leave us a rating and review on Facebook and on Google; as well as on Time Out; on Trip Advisor; and on Yell. Thank you!
And, if you're unable to visit us, you can go on a Google virtual tour of our gallery by clicking here (featuring the display from our 2016 spring exhibition, The Age of Steam).
