We meet some of the most interesting people: folks who live in Montreal, people who are just passing through, some who know a lot about posters, and some who are new to them … and from all of them, we learn something.

For instance:

A very dapper Dutch man came in certain that we would not have a poster that had anything to do with Irish Canadian military personnel. (I was – of course, it’s me after all – inordinately pleased to prove him wrong.) We started chatting and he turned out to be a very interesting man who came to Montreal to lecture on crime. Now, I must tell you he didn’t look like a criminal (or someone who would know much about them), but, in fact, he did. (You’ll have to ask me for details which I will be happy to provide…) And we spent a lovely half hour talking about posters, and crime, and all kinds of things. If you’d like to hear what the Irish Rangers sound like, you can go here, and if you’d like to read about them you can do so here.

An elegant couple from New York, travelling through on business came in a few weeks ago. He loved posters and knew something about them, she did not (and was pretty convinced that she would not find anything she liked. Again, I was happy to prove her wrong). We started from her believing that posters weren’t really art (because, you see, they aren’t paintings), and ended with her picking three posters that she wanted to put over her mantle. I love when that happens, not just because we sold three posters, but because I was able to transmit some of my love of these amazing pieces to someone who really didn’t know anything about them before she walked into the gallery. She purchased some fabulous concert posters … if you’d like to hear music from some of the featured artists you can do so here, here, and here.

Another couple – from Atlanta – came in while here for the weekend. They stayed and chatted, looked at this and that – and fell in love with Le Nil by Cappiello. If you’ve read this blog before you’ll know I love elephants (LOVE ELEPHANTS!! Here is a link to the David Sheldrick Wildlife Trust, a great organization) and because my son Giulian loves them, and this poster, I happen to have a copy at home (over my mantle!). I taught them what to look for in vintage posters, discussed lithography (if you’d like to know more about vintage posters and stone lithography you can read this )… the usual. It’s an expensive piece and they said they would think about it and come back the next day. I was a little disappointed when they didn’t return, but very happy to sell the poster on the phone to them earlier today. You see, when someone thinks about a poster purchase and then decides that yes, this is the poster they have to have, that makes me even happier than when someone comes into the gallery and buys on the spot. I cant explain it, but knowing that there was a decision process involved makes the sale that much more special.

I love what I do and love talking about posters. And I also love meeting and talking to new people. In this job I get to do both – how lucky am I??