The 92nd Rare Posters Auction from Poster Auctions International on Sunday, March 3 features rare and iconic images from a century of poster design. The collection includes Art Nouveau, Art Deco, Modern, and Contemporary lithographs as well as decorative panels, maquettes, and original works.
All 410 lots will be on view to the public February 9 to March 2. The auction will be held live in PAI’s gallery at 26 West 17th Street in New York City, as well as online at posterauctions.com, beginning promptly at 11am EST.
Jack Rennert, president of Poster Auctions International, Inc., said, “This auction is truly notable for the amount of rare and never-before-seen works available, including impressive billboards by Cappiello and Steinlen and one-of-a-kind pieces by Mucha. For collectors searching for that special something to round out their collection, this auction will prove to be a treasure trove of design.”
The auction will begin with five lots of rare Olympics posters, including Joseph Rovers’ 1928 IXe Olympiade / Amsterdam (est. $12,000-$15,000), Walter Herz’s 1947 London 1948 Olympics (est. $2,500-$3,000), and the complete Olympics: Munich 1972 Artistic Series of 28 posters (est. $3,000-$4,000).
Next, 20 Art Nouveau and Art Deco bicycle posters will be offered. Highlights include Georges Gaudy’s 1898 Cycles et Automobiles Legia (est. $2,500-$3,000), Frederick Winthrop Ramsdell’s 1899 American Crescent Cycles (est. $4,000-$5,000), A. M. Cassandre’s rare 1925 Cycles Brillant (est. $10,000-$12,000), and Marcello Nizzoli’s FN (Fabrique Nationale) from 1925 (est. $3,500-$4,000).
Automobile buffs will delight in the 32 lots on offer, which range from early car models to Modern makes and races. Notable lots include Ludwig Hohlwein’s 1914 Mercedes (est. $25,000-$30,000), G. de Burggeill’s ca. 1904 Peugeot (est. $5,000-$6,000), and A. Chazelle’s 1933 Amilcar (est. $4,000-$5,000). Also included in this collection are several images for Porsche and international Grands Prix.
This auction features 28 Aviation posters, including early air meets and Modern airlines. Important images include M. Dessoures’ 1910 Semaine d’Aviation / Caen (est. $6,000-$8,000) and René Lelong’s 1909 Meeting Aérien de Reims : Maquette (est. $4,000-$5,000). Five invigorating designs for TWA by David Klein are offered (ests. ranging $1,200-$4,000); five airline designs featuring New York City’s World Trade Center towers are also offered (ests. ranging $1,400-$4,000).
As always, this auction includes robust collections by the leaders of lithography. From Leonetto Cappiello—the father of modern advertising—18 rare and iconic works will be auctioned. Beloved images include his 1907 Congrès International des Étudiants (est. $5,000-$6,000), the 1907 Mele (est. $17,000-$20,000), the 1927 Nice (est. $6,000-$8,000), and his 1922 Contratto (est. $4,000-$5,000). But rarities also abound, including his 1912 L’Eau de Montmirail (est. $6,000-$8,000), his 1923 Figaro : Maquette (est. $25,000-$30,000), and the rarely seen four-sheet Allez Chez Poccardi, from 1924 (est. $40,000-$50,000).
A small but choice selection of images will be available from Jules Chéret, who largely developed the art of the poster. His 1893 Folies-Bergère / La Loïe Fuller is a perennial favorite (est. $4,500-$5,500). Also at auction are his 1895 Pastilles Géraudel (est. $2,500-$3,000), the 1900 Palais de Glace (est. $2,700-$3,000), one original drawing, and one painting (est. $8,000-$10,000 and $17,000-$20,000, respectively).
Twelve works will be offered from Paul Colin, who immortalized the best of Parisian nightlife, including the sensational Josephine Baker. Among these, his complete 1929 Le Tumulte Noir portfolio ranks among his most important works (est. $25,000-$30,000). Also available are his 1926 Blackbirds : Maquette (est. $40,000-$50,000), his 1927 Bal Nègre Lithograph (est. $6,000-$8,000), and the rare four-sheet, large format version of his 1938 Leroy (est. $30,000-$40,000).
Of course, no PAI sale would be complete without a robust selection of works by the Art Nouveau master, Alphonse Mucha. The 39 lots on offer include his most beloved posters and rare works. At auction is the only known copy of his lovely Champagne Roederer (est. $40,000-$50,000), which is a variant of his 1901 C. van Cortenbergh fils / Chromolithographie / Bruxelles (est. $17,000-$20,000). Another rare item is his 1900 Printemps : Pocket Watch, which features his 1896 Seasons imagery and was awarded the Grand Prix at the 1900 Paris World’s Fair (est. $40,000-$50,000). Iconic images are also on offer, like his Reverie before text (est. $14,000-$17,000), his 1897 La Trappistine (est. $20,000-$25,000), the 1896 Salon des Cent / XXme Exposition (est. $17,000-$20,000), the 1897 Têtes Byzantines (est. $17,000-$20,000), his 1896 Job (est. $17,000-$20,000), and the 1896 Zodiac (est. $17,000-$20,000).
From Théophile-Alexandre Steinlen, several notable lots will be at auction, including his incredibly rare, six-sheet billboard, Affiches Charles Verneau. “La Rue,” from 1896 (est. $60,000-$80,000). Also on offer are his iconic 1894 Lait pur Stérilisé (est. $14,000-$17,000), the 1896 Chat Noir / Prochainement (est. $17,000-$20,000), and his 1899 Motocycles Comiot (est. $20,000-$25,000).
Collectors of Art Nouveau will have plenty more illustrious lots to bid on. Highlights include Clémentine-Hélène Dufau’s ca. 1903 Pelote Basque (est. $7,000-$9,000), Jules-Alexandre Grün’s rare ca. 1900 Paris-Medoc (est. $5,000-$6,000), Privat Livemont’s iconic 1896 Absinthe Robette (est. $20,000-$25,000), Manuel Orazi’s 1900 Théâtre de Loïe Fuller (est. $20,000-$25,000), Henri de Toulouse-Lautrec’s 1894 P. Sescau / Photographe (est. $40,000-$50,000), and this auction’s catalogue cover, Paul Scheurich’s 1912 Buttericks Modern-Revue (est. $2,500-$3,000).
For fans of the Art Deco era, exquisite lots abound, including the anonymous 1913 Fantômas (est. $20,000-$25,000), the anonymous ca. 1930 California / Travel by Train (est. $4,000-$5,000), Emil Cardinaux’s 1920 Palace Hotel / St. Moritz (est. $10,000-$12,000), Jean Chassaing’s 1931 Josephine Baker (est. $14,000-$17,000), Hubert Herkomer’s 1935 Normandie (est. $17,000-$20,000), Luciano Achille Mauzan’s 1932 Exposicion de Radio (est. $6,000-$8,000), Rougemont’s ca. 1930 Mistinguett (est. $7,000-$9,000), and Zig’s 1931 Casino de Paris / Mistinguett / Paris Qui Brille (est. $2,500-$3,000).
Public viewings will be held daily from February 9 to March 2. For more information and to view the digital catalogue, visit www.posterauctions.com. You may call the gallery at (212) 787-4000. For general inquiries, the email address is info@posterauctions.com.
