Travel posters cruised past estimates at Potter & Potter, Jan. 29
Circa-1960s Air Djibouti / La Mer Rouge poster, $1,920
CHICAGO – Potter & Potter Auctions‘ January 29 poster sale was a wall-to-wall success, with images touting the charms of India, Hawaii and Djibouti achieving strong prices.
Posters promoting exotic overseas travel and experiences took several of the top slots, led by a Cirque Medrano / Cairoli poster. Estimated at $800-$1,200, it realized $10,200. The 1930s-era color lithograph featured the clown Charlie Cairoli as a young performer with his father, Jean-Marie Cairoli, on the violin.
Cirque Medrano / Cairoli poster, $10,200
Paul George Lawler’s Peru of the Incas / Pan American poster flew past its $1,200-$1,800 estimate to sell for $2,640, and a circa-1960s Air Djibouti / La Mer Rouge poster, estimated at $250-$350, traded hands at $1,920.
Paul George Lawler’s Peru of the Incas / Pan American poster, $2,640
The selection of posters featuring India and Indian-themed celebrations, culture, and attractions included an Air India / India with a black and white design of a woman serving wine to the airline’s Maharajah mascot. Estimated at $700-$900, it scored $2,800.
Black and white Air India / India poster, $2,800
Another Air India poster that performed well was a quirky image advertising travel to Rome. It carried an estimate of $800-$1,200 and made $2,200. It depicted the airline’s Maharajah mascot playing a pungi to charm his bowl of pasta into spelling out the word “Rome.”
Air India poster for Rome, $2,200
A lavishly illustrated pictorial map, titled India – In War and Peace, detailed the country’s natural resources, minerals, agricultural output, cities and people. It sold for $2,000 against an estimate of $800-$1,200.
Illustrated pictorial map titled ‘India – In War and Peace,’ $2,000
Images lauding the pleasures of Hawaii included Charles Allen’s 1960s-era poster of surfers catching a wave, which achieved $3,360.
Joseph Feher’s Hawaii / United Airlines poster, $2,640
Another compelling lot was Joseph Feher’s Hawaii / United Airlines, which sold for $2,640. It was decorated with a Hawaiian hostess holding a lei and a United Boeing Stratocruiser spotlighted against the sun.
Otto Obermeier’s ‘Bock-Bier / aus der aktienbrauerei zum / Lowenbrau in Munchen’ poster, $2,640
Posters promoting consumer brands, products and services were led by Otto Obermeier’s curious, amusing poster titled Bock-Bier / aus der aktienbrauerei zum / Lowenbrau in Munchen. It more than doubled its high estimate to realize $2,640.
‘Winning Technologies from Intel’ poster, $2,160
A 1982 color offset-printed poster advertising the Intel 80286 16-bit microprocessor and depicting a die shot of the unit seriously exceeded expectations. The poster, dubbed Winning Technologies from Intel, was estimated at $100-$200 and achieved $2,160.
Pan Am’s ‘Supersonic Clipper / in the skies of tomorrow,’ $4,320
A circa-1960s poster titled Pan Am’s Supersonic Clipper / in the skies of tomorrow reached $4,320 against an estimate of $1,000-$2,000. It is believed to be the only poster Pan Am issued to promote its Concorde venture.
Authorized reproduction of A.M. Cassandre’s ‘Normandie’ poster, $2,640
Rounding out the list of top performers was a reproduction of a travel poster classic: A.M. Cassandre’s Normandie, which was estimated at $300-$500 and sailed to $2,640. The large lithograph reprint by Cassandre’s estate was produced after his 1935 original.
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