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by
Victoria Shaw-Williamson
In Europe from the 1880s through the 1930s, many graphic and fine
artists were employed as designers of advertising posters. Their task was
to produce powerful images that would stop pedestrians in their tracks.
These same images have a similar impact on today's poster collectors, who
are finding that the competition for the best images is becoming increasingly intense.
INTERNATIONAL VINTAGE POSTER FAIR
The Fall season for poster collectors begins in October with the
International Vintage Poster Fair in New York City. Louis Bixenman, a
private dealer and collector, first produced the New York fair in 1989.
Since then, the event has grown to include fairs in Chicago, Los Angeles,
San Francisco, Seattle and Atlanta.
Mr. Bixenman believes that the primary market for posters today is in
the United States. This year, the October fair includes a diverse
inventory from a large group of European and American dealers. "For
every collector there's a different focus, be it design, subject,
designer, style or country of origin", he notes.
Mr. Bixenman has seen over the years that most of the buyers at the
International Vintage Poster Fair are private individuals. However, he has
noticed that some are museum curators seeking posters for their graphic
art collections.
MARKET ATTRACTS WIDE RANGE OF COLLECTORS
Nicholas Lowry, the director of the Posters Department at Swann Galleries
in New York, believes that the field of graphic design is becoming more
widely accepted within the world of fine arts. He notes that major
American museums with important graphic design collections include Museum
of Modern Art, The Metropolitan Museum of Art, and the Art Institute of
Chicago.
Despite this growing acceptance, posters are still accessible to
younger buyers who are just beginning to collect art. According to Mr.
Lowry, "Posters are accessible because the images are meant to have
an impact on the viewer in a relatively simple way. A strong image will
get your attention and draw you in. It's also a relatively affordable
field, since there is plenty of material in the $2000 to $3000
range."
Swann Galleries' upcoming sale on November 13th focuses primarily on
European travel posters from the 20s and 30s. Images depicted include
ocean liners, trains, hotels, ski resorts, as well as golf and tennis
events. Estimates are generally in the $2000 to $3000 range, with some
examples above and below this level.
Important images by well-known designers will always bring a top price.
The November 1999 Travel Poster sale at Swann Galleries had some nice
examples of work by the well-known graphic artist
Adolphe Mouron Cassandre. Two
ocean liner posters, "Normandie" (1935) and "Statendam"
(1928) brought $8050 and $11,500 respectively, including premium.
IMPORTANT ARTISTS DESIGNED POSTERS
The most important artists in Art Nouveau and Belle Epoque posters include
Henri de Toulouse-Lautrec,
Alphonse Mucha and
Jules Chéret. In 1999, Poster Auction
International set a record in New York when a very rare Toulouse-Lautrec
sold for $250,000. The poster was on three sheets, measuring 76 inches
high and 48 inches wide, and was the first poster by the artist, dating to
1891. The condition and rarity of the piece were the major factors that
contributed to this extraordinary result.
Despite the record price for a work by a widely recognized artist, it
is still possible to find relatively inexpensive Art Nouveau posters on
the market. Decent images by unknown Swiss or French artists circa
1895-1900 are in the $300 to $400 range.
It is becoming more difficult to find good material from the late
19th century through the early 20th century. The scarcity of
material is making the market explode. Later and later works are being
appreciated today, because few people can afford the top works.
Aviation posters from the late 40s and 50s
sell in the $500 to $700 range today, while 10 years ago these same
posters would have sold for only $100. The most sought after posters are
ones that advertise major destinations and cities.
VINTAGE POSTERS CONSIDERED ORIGINALS
It's important to keep in mind that vintage posters are originals, and not
reproductions. Printed in large formats on inexpensive paper, they were
meant to be used as billboards. The vintage posters available today are
now backed by linen to provide support.
Vintage posters were not numbered as they were not published to promote
an artist. Instead, they were produced in large quantities (in the
thousands sometimes) and posted outdoors, pasted to buildings. Not all of
them were actually used. Occasionally, a large stash of unused posters
will turn up in a basement in Paris.
Most modern advertising images are taken for granted by the public —
perhaps they feel deadened by our media-saturated culture. Nonetheless,
the market for vintage advertising posters is a vivid source of beauty and
inspiration for nostalgic collectors.
Victoria Shaw-Williamson reports
on the state of the collecting market. She also responds to questions on
collecting art and antiques
Click here for live, immediate advice at Keen!
 
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VINTAGE POSTERS: POWERFUL ADVERTISING IMAGES
