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Look!: Binder Clips for Art

4-2-08 binder clips.jpgRecently we've been thinking about binder clips, after having seen some great tips on here about using them for organization and hanging art. And maybe it's like when you learn a new word you start hearing it all over the place, because we recently spotted the tip in action.

 
 
4-2-08 binder clips 2.jpg

Dema on Valencia has this great poster hanging to the side of their front window... on binder clips! It's completely unobtrusive and works well when glare might be a concern- in this case, so passersby can actually see the image rather than whatever is going on in the street behind them.

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Comments (12)

Don't do this if you live in an area that's damp or you'll have nice rust marks where the clips meet the poster. I found this out while living at the beach.

posted by spinsLPs on 2008-04-02 13:39:08
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Love the poster! Anyone know where I can find it?

posted by caliloud on 2008-04-02 13:56:14
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That's great for artwork that you aren't concerned about conserving - but quality/vintage items like this need archival materials and UV resistant glass to prevent the paper from deteriorating and the image from fading.

posted by bepsf on 2008-04-02 14:12:57
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I used them for hanging a vintage beach towel in my bathroom for now. I used plastic paint primer and then rustoleum.

http://www.flickr.com/photos/tastefortiki/2380810031/in/photostream/

posted by tastefortiki on 2008-04-02 14:38:09
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I have this exact poster hanging in the same way. Most of these large vintage advertising posters are mounted on archival paper and then linen, which stabilizes the fragile paper and makes it a lot sturdier. In this picture the clips are not actually touching the original poster, just the backing.

As for where you could find these posters, there are some shops that specialize in them. If you're in the bay area, there's a guy at the Alameda Flea Market that specializes in large vintage advertising posters. He might not currently have this one, but you could ask. Also, there's one for sale right now on eBay. Search keyword "FAVOR POSTER" and scroll to the bottom of the screen. The seller is in Australia, and the buy it price is $1300 AU. It's actually been up for months, if not a year, so maybe the price is high, but I'm guessing that's what you might find in a shop. I got mine years ago from a poster gallery in New York for a bit less...

posted by megagamma on 2008-04-02 14:54:16
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Wow - that's an awesome poster!!!

posted by Kathryn on 2008-04-02 14:54:54
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While I agree it looks great, I have to admit that I cringed when I saw this.

Even if you are not in a damp environment or direct light, you run the risk of putting crimps in the print and later end up spending twice what you would have spent in framing on conservation...

For something with no resale value, or something sturdy (and not paper!) like that vintage beach towel, this is a great option. But please think twice about using this technique to hang anything printed on paper with any kind of monetary or sentimental value...

posted by anablackburn on 2008-04-02 15:31:46
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If you do decide to use the clips, it looks a lot cleaner to take out the front handle. You can also get clips in other colors to coordinate with whatever you're hanging.

posted by darianj on 2008-04-02 15:57:02
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I'm also a fan of using binder clips to prop up photos and postcards; simply set the flat part of the clip on a surface, clamp the arms around the photo, and voila! Instant mini-art display.

posted by allisonlindsay on 2008-04-02 17:10:05
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i found gold ones that a japanese company makes.
http://www.flickr.com/photos/jeanniekim/2359170109/in/photostream/
you can kinda see them here

posted by jeannie on 2008-04-02 18:42:52
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Don't order this favor poster by accident http://ca.movieposter.com/poster/A70-2400/Favor.html(staring Bill Pullman)
: )

posted by peacelily on 2008-04-02 20:47:38
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I love this idea; like the poster says, it's "simple, pratique, élégant(e)"!

posted by Talloush on 2008-04-02 22:40:22
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