Buying non-movie posters and prints in NYC

August 28, 2014 3:26 PM

I want to buy four or five interesting posters to fill up my blank walls in my new place and make it feel like 'mine'. I'd prefer to pick them out in person, rather than buying online. I'm especially interested in 20th century art (particularly abstract or semi-abstract), nature or urban photography, vintage maps and prints, and almost anything art deco or art nouveau. I'm also open to serendipitous discoveries that don't fit any of the above. Is there a place in New York that stocks a wide breadth of such things?

I don't want movie, band or meme posters, or 'iconic' photographs or art. I don't intend to get them framed, and I'd ideally like to spend less than $30 on each.
(I've looked at previous threads, and they either seem to be about movie posters or online purchases. I know about the New York Vintage Poster Fair, and will check that out, but also want to get something sooner than October).

posted by une_heure_pleine to Media & Arts (10 answers total)

Best answer: Several years ago when I visited NYC, I got a poster of an exhibit of mid-century design at MoMA's gift shop. You might see what they have in stock. And at other museums, I've been to, they've had a kiosk where you could select and get a print of anything in their catalog in a range of sizes so maybe MoMA has that as well.
posted by Beti at 3:32 PM on August 28, 2014

Best answer: In Chicago the Blick Art Materials store has a great selection of cheap poster-sized papers with different patterns, like vintage-y maps and vintage-y collages in addition to floral prints and stuff. It's great for this purpose. They don't seem to have these on their website so I don't know if the NY stores carry them but it's worth a look. List of NY locations.
posted by bleep at 3:35 PM on August 28, 2014

Yes, you can order what Moma has online.
posted by brujita at 3:44 PM on August 28, 2014

College bookstores always have pretty good selections of posters for dorm decoration, if those wouldn't be too iconic.
posted by CheeseLouise at 3:55 PM on August 28, 2014

In addition to MoMA, the Neue Galerie might have work that's up your alley (it's all early 20th-century German and Austrian art).
posted by scody at 4:42 PM on August 28, 2014

Most colleges and universities will have a poster seller on campus during move-in week, which is coming right up. Call the Student Life office of the one nearest you.
posted by theora55 at 5:38 PM on August 28, 2014 [1 favorite]

Best answer: Argosy Bookstore on 59th Street has a fabulous selection of antique maps, prints, and a few posters too if I'm remembering correctly. There's an upstairs room with expensive art prints but downstairs, there should be bins of maps and engravings for $20 or less.
posted by The Giant Rat of Sumatra at 5:59 PM on August 28, 2014 [2 favorites]

If you're open to paying more for a centerpiece artwork instead of $30 for several posters, Philip Williams Posters in Tribeca is pricey but has a lot of really neat stuff, a lot of it available to browse online first before heading to the store to see it.
posted by paradeofblimps at 8:59 PM on August 28, 2014

Check out the Brooklyn Flea in Fort Greene or Williamsburg, if you like antique/vintage maps and prints.
posted by three_red_balloons at 8:39 AM on August 29, 2014

Brooklyn Frameworks always has interesting posters and prints, though I'm not sure about their pricing. Street fairs are also a good source, but it's a bit late in the season to find one - the Atlantic Antic is on Sept 28th.
posted by hooray at 12:26 PM on August 29, 2014