We will begin taking orders for the “Family Tree of Chairs” letterpress poster at noon Eastern on Wednesday, July 28. The cost is $33 plus domestic shipping. There are only 200 posters.
This 16″ x 20″ letterpress poster is gorgeous. And I do not use that word lightly. The image was drawn by Lee John Phillips based on research (and opinions) from me, George Walker, Peter Follansbee and some other history nerds. It was printed via letterpress in New York on thick cotton stock. The image will be used as the endsheets for my forthcoming “The Stick Chair Book.”
This poster is a (probably insufficient) attempt to recoup some of the expenses in making the image and printing up the book’s endsheets. In other words, we’re not trying to turn a profit with this poster – we’re just trying to make something nice that will help cover some crazy expenses for a book.
Also worth noting: I had to increase the price $3 from our earlier announcement because we are building a custom flat cardboard box for the posters. The paper is too thick (.027”) to ship in a tube.
If, by some miracle, this poster manages to break even in the end, I might consider a new edition in a different ink color. But no promises. I’ve flushed away too much money on posters in my life already.
— Christopher Schwarz
It’s okay the make a profit on a poster; really. Mind you, I have no idea/data how difficult or easy that is.
Just saying if you do turn a profit on a poster, I won’t disassemble my ‘Chris Schwarz’ shrine.
If we do turn a profit on a poster, I will run naked through the streets of Covington with Roman candles in each hand.
Here in California you’d be in more trouble for the first hazard than the nudity.
That was meant to be fire hazard…
I’m just re-enacting the Redneck Olympics, really.
Well we ALL need to buy this poster now, right?
make a poster of the japanese toolboxes.
Will this be available as PDF download? I understand the thought and quality of the poster is part of its appeal. I doubt I’ll get one of the 200 but would definitely print one out to hang it in my workspace.
I guess I don’t quite understand. You only have a certain number of them. Is the price not tailored with some kind of margin in mind? Or at least tailored around breaking even?
Hi Luke,
With other posters, we have tried to make a little profit. And we are usually left with a lot of posters/future insulation on hand. And they haven’t gone into the black. It’s why I am not so high on the poster business.
With this one, we are setting the price to cover the cost of illustration, the cost of the polymer plate, the printing, the box-making etc. And a little more to cover returns and damaged ones. I would love to break even.
If that happens, we might do another run.
A friend once said to me: “When you look at someone else’s business, it seems like there’s no way they could be making money.”
That’s true. Except for posters.
Not that your other posters/plates/prints/swag aren’t cool, but this is actually the first one I have really wanted to get. Unfortunately, I’ll be on a flight tomorrow when this happens, and I expect it will sell out instantly. I do hope you’ll consider another run.