Decorating a room with antique prints is very popular among many home decorators. Mounting framed antique bird prints and fish prints is a warming way to create a “lodge” atmosphere in a vacation home. Creating groupings of botanical prints, such as flowers, can be a simple but effective way to give your living room a calming and soothing “green” feel. While millions decorate with antique prints, all are forced to decide between purchasing antique reproduced prints, or antique original prints. Although the predicament is seldom discussed by interior decorators, the choice has important consequences.

Though some observers believe original antique prints possess a superior visual character quality that simply cannot be duplicated, many other observers are not able to distinguish an original print from a parallel reproduction print. The discrepancy of opinion is generally the result of the condition of each original. When reproducing antique prints image editing software is often utilized to return color, quality and detail that has been lost over hundreds of years. However, things such as the look of worn and faded paper, just cannot be reproduced in entirety. Until the early 90's there was little question as to whether an antique original was visually more appealing than a reproduction print. Unless an antique style printing press (stamping a plate and inking it by hand) was the method used to make the reproduced print, most visual details were nearly impossible to recreate. It wasn’t until our age of computer technology that antique originals were scanned or photographed, digitally enhanced, and reprinted with such incredible detail that the reproductions contend with the original source. In many cases, spectators find antique reproduction prints to have greater appeal than the originals from which they were derived.

Regardless of any individual opinion on the comparison of looks, there are very few who argue over the significant difference in cost. Original prints, with very few exceptions, will be significantly more expensive. With this in mind, is the price difference justifiable? It really depends on who you are, what you’re looking for, and what you’re doing with it. For most hobbyist home decorators and professional interior designers, the answer is no (especially since many will hang themed groupings in several rooms of their homes). Nevertheless, to some collectors of fine original art, the vintage originality of a print that has aged for hundreds of years is extremely appealing. Another often overlooked aspect of antique originals is the investment value of some rare prints. Like any collectable, the values of original antique prints can potentially increase over time. For those who desire collectability and value just as much as they do decoration, this is surely worth considering. Still, for most interior decorators it is much more cost efficient to seek high quality reproduction prints that accomadate their individual preferences and needs.

Cost is not the sole benefit to decorating with reproduced antique prints. They also provide flexibility and customization options that help fit a work of art into an already well decorated room. Finding a “must –have” print available in 8"x10" to fit in a wall display grouping, when the original from which it came was a 5”x7”, is a luxury made possible only through reproduction. If on a budget, search for publishing companies that print in Standard Sizes: (5”x7”, 8”x10”, 11”x14”). Because these sizes are often used, one can obtain low cost frames and mats. While only a few publishers offer these options, seeking out those who do may be an important factor to spicing up a room with the desired effect without compromising the present theme.
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