Inside his shop at 122 Chambers St, Philip Williams is surrounded by an inventory he estimates at roughly 200,000 pieces. For 53 years, the owner of Philip Williams Posters has built a collection so vast he admits he loses count, sourcing antique prints dating from 1880 to 1960.
By anticipating market shifts, he has cultivated an archive where individual rare finds have sold for as much as $500,000.
Williams credits his long-term success to buying 10 to 15 years ahead of the collecting curve. Early in his career, when buyers were primarily interested in French and Art Nouveau designs, he began securing psychedelic prints.
He intentionally stayed a few steps ahead of the competition geographically as well. As rival dealers traveled to France, Williams headed to Italy. When they followed him to Italy, he shifted his buying focus to Holland.
The storefront’s inventory covers nearly every type of visual history from the late 19th to mid-20th century, spanning circus promotions, theater bills, and war propaganda.
His passion for collecting began when he was a child. At 18, he moved to the city after watching Johnny Carson on television and deciding it looked like the place to be.
More than five decades later, he continues to find visual inspiration right on the sidewalks outside his shop. Examining stickers and street art left on building facades—even peeling one off a wall recently—Williams notes that there is always something new waiting to be discovered on the street.
📍122 Chambers St