Cinema paper has no single number everyone uses. The honest listing is a short list of facts in a predictable order, and that is the grade.
The order
- Printing — original release, reissue, or reproduction
- Size, measured in centimetres rather than named, because formats vary by era and studio
- Folded or rolled, and how many folds
- Paper condition — tears, losses, pinholes, stains, fading
- Restoration — backing, repairs, retouching, trimming
- The reverse — tape, old mounting, writing
The words that carry weight
Untrimmed — the sheet is the size it was printed. Say it only if you have measured. Linen-backed — mounted on linen, a common and accepted conservation treatment, always declared. Restored — something repaired or retouched. Say what and where. Pinholes — from being displayed. Common, minor, worth stating.
Folds are not automatically damage
Many older posters were issued folded. What matters is how many folds, whether they have separated, and whether anything has been taped on the reverse. Describing posters.
Where a scale does exist
Some grading services handle vintage paper. It is uncommon, slow and costly, and for most sheets it is not worth the fee. Where a piece is graded, name the service.
The number to avoid
"8/10" on a poster is not a grade. Six facts and a photograph of the reverse are.
Questions people ask
Does linen backing lower the grade?
It changes what the piece is. Many collectors accept or prefer it on large sheets, and undeclared it is a dispute.
Is a reproduction gradeable?
Describe the printing and the size, say reproduction in the title, and stop.
What about a trimmed sheet?
A different object from an untrimmed one. Measure before you describe.