Keep in mind that some of the early rock posters are printed on uncoated stock, and you cannot easily wipe fingerprints off uncoated papers. But then fingerprints do not show up as much on uncoated stock, since the paper tends to absorb them. But most posters are printed on coated stocks — papers that are manufactured with a coating applied to seal the surface, making it smoother and harder. These papers are shinier, with a more even surface texture, although papers varnished with a dull-coat or matte-coat are less shiny. The bulk of the Fillmore posters, except some of the earliest ones, are printed on coated stocks.

A side note: When I was working with Tea Lautrec Litho to print my first posters for Bill Graham, back in 1969, I asked to see some paper samples. The printer pointed to the other side of his shop where paper boxes were stacked high along the wall. "There is your paper," he said. It turned out that Graham had been offered a deal on a huge lot of poster stock, which he purchased, so all the remaining Fillmore posters were printed on the same paper.

Fingerprints tend to be more noticeable on coated stocks (especially on darker colors), since they lie on top of the hardened coating and ink. But generally, if you take a soft cloth or tissue and RUB IT VERY LIGHTLY over the fingerprints, these will come off or dimish greatly in noticeability. It is important to use a wiper that will not scratch the surface of the poster. Moisten the wiper a little and then touch it LIGHTLY to a bar of soap — you want it slightly moist, not wet, with only a hint of soap — and you might try it first without soap, since soap can streak and then you have to repeat the wiping with plain water to get rid of the streaks. Wipe back and forth over the area that has the fingerprints, or use a circular motion. Do it only a few times VERY GENTLY, just enough to lightly touch the surface. Let the moisture evaporate, every few swipes, so you can see what you are doing. If you wipe the surface gently with a soft cloth or tissue, there should be no damage to the ink or poster, and you can quickly remove an unslghtly grease spot. Try this first on your less valuable posters until you get the hang of it.

It is also possible to remove some spots from posters with rubber cement solvent and thinner — "Bestine" is a brand that is commonly sold in art supply stores — but you must take greater care when using thinners, because they can also remove some of the ink from the surface of the paper. You have to judge whether removing a grease spot with a bit of ink is better than leaving it as is. Of course, you can minimize the amount of ink removed by rubbing very lightly and then letting the excess evaporate naturally. I would suggest trying this technique out first on posters in damaged condition. Thinners are also toxic, so use them sparingly and in well ventinated rooms.

Now that I explained how to remove some spots from posters, let me absolve myself from any responsibility for what you may do to your valuable collection. Any cleaning you undertake is certainly at your own risk. Let me also state that the methods outlined above will only work on fingerprints and minor grease spots, not on every kind of mark or stain. Most imperfections on a poster are best left alone and appreciated as part of its unique character and complexion.

It goes without saying (but I will anyway) that washing and drying your hands before handling your posters will greatly help to minimize fingerprint damage to your collection.