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Rennert’s Gallery
This sale is organized by Mr. Jack RENNERT and Ms. Terry SHARGEL. The catalogue is edited by Ms. Jessica ADAMS and designed by Mr. James McCOBB.
A LETTER FROM JACK RENNERT
Dear Friends:
We live in an uncommon time which requires special efforts to maintain our way of life—and our business.
In spite of a pandemic which has taken so many lives and restricted us all, we intend to continue our Rare Posters auctions with the same high standards which have made them preeminent events in this field.
It has been my enormous pride to publish a catalogue for each auction— totaling 80 in the past 35 years—which have become the worldwide exemplar for documentation and appreciation of vintage posters.
But while our next sale, our 81st auction, will uphold the quantity and quality of our prior auctions, it will regretfully not have a printed catalogue.
Instead, details for all 500 posters will be available in a downloadable document, and, as always, all lots will be posted on our website beginning July 1. Both will contain complete and informative background information on each poster. Bidding will be live and remain available on all our platforms, including our website, telephones, and order bids.
It is our hope to exhibit all the posters in our gallery from July 6-20. We will take every precaution to make this the safest environment possible; should we require staggered entrances or reserved appointments, we will be sure to notify you. It will be a great show and we truly hope you can see it in person.
I hope you will participate in this sale. We are here to answer any questions.
Stay well. Stay in touch.
ABSENTEE & TELEPHONE BIDDING
Download our absentee bidding form at posterauctions.com.
For absentee bidding, indicate your maximum bid for each desired lot. You may indicate an “either-or” bid if you want to purchase only a portion of the items on your wish list. You can also indicate an overall maximum dollar amount. We’ll execute your bid on your behalf at the lowest price possible.
For telephone bidding, complete the absentee bidding form with the best phone number to reach you on July 21. When your lot comes up, one of our staff members will call you and execute your bids on your behalf.
SEND US YOUR FORM
Email: info@posterauctions.com
Fax: 212-604-9175
Mail: 26 W. 17th St. NY, NY 10011. It should arrive by Friday, July 17
Or call Terry Shargel to register at 212-787-4000.
BID WITH CONFIDENCE — EVEN IF YOU CANNOT ATTEND
We recommend all participants familiarize themselves with the Conditions of Sale before auction day: visit posterauctions.com.
Beginning at 11am on auction day, you’ll be able to access a live video feed at posterauctions.com
OUR NEXT SALE
We are pleased to announce that the PAI-LXXXII sale will be held on Sunday, November 15, 2020. Consignments are accepted until September 1, 2020
Catalogue subscribers will receive their total number of catalogues beginning with the November auction.
BIDDING INCREMENTS
Bidding at our auction will be strictly by the following increments.
To $2,000 by $100
$2,000 — $5,000 by $200
$5,000 — $10,000 by $500
$10,000 — $20,000 by $1,000
At Rennert’s Gallery Open Daily 11-6 (Hours Subject to Change)
26 W 17th St (street level) Between 5th & 6th Ave., New York, NY 10011
Powerful works by de Riquer, Gual, Utrillo, and de Cidón—many seen here for the first time.
Modernisme was a distinctly Spanish art movement that heralded the revival of Catalan culture from roughly 1888-1911. Like similar movements of the time— Art Nouveau, Jugendstil, and the Vienna Succession—decorative ornamentation dominated the imagery. But the Modernistes shunned bourgeois exclusivity in favor of an integrated and democratic approach: they drew inspiration from Japanese woodblock prints, Pre-Raphaelite painting, and Belgian lithography; they also worked across multiple fields, including fine art, theatre, and architecture. A central point of influence was Els Quatre Gats (The Four Cats), a café and creative meeting place inspired by Paris’ Le Chat Noir. Founded by Ramon Casas, Santiago Rusiñol, and Miguel Utrillo, it attracted many prominent artists, including the young Pablo Picasso. Els Quatre Gats held performances, concerts, art exhibitions, and literary gatherings; the artists also published an influential literary review of the same name.
ALEJANDRO DE RIQUER
The Four Seasons. 1900.
This is a rare complete set of the Four Seasons by de Riquer. More seldom seen than the equivalent series by Mucha, they are the artist’s masterpiece. A letter from the publisher Pierrefort to the artist indicates that the panels were printed on “paper exactly similar to the one used by Mucha for his animated Flowers,” and that, because of the intricate detail and shading within the designs, seven instead of six colors would be used in the printing process. The letter continues: “The artist responsible for the lithographic process is not only skilled in the use of colour but is also an excellent designer. He admires your panels very much and will do everything in his power to reproduce them properly. I have additionally agreed to keep an unflinching eye on the process myself. We shall experiment, something that is not easy, given the size of the lithographic stones” (Art Nouveau/Weill, p. 54). (4)
48 BICYCLES
Nearly a century of designs from the earliest models to motorcycles, including Lautrec’s Chaîne Simpson and Cycle Michael, Penfield’s Northampton, numerous delights from Pal, and Nizzoli’s FN. 8 Tour de France posters span 80 years of the race; two images are hand-signed by Greg LeMond.
Cycles le Globe. ca. 1900. While exhibiting her independence and physical strength, this liberated woman has yet to overcome one particular struggle: the darn dress, which women were practically required to wear, even while bicycling. Luckily, manufacturers found a savvy compromise in the drop-frame safety bicycle, which allowed the ladies to ride with ease while still fulfilling their expectations for modesty.
31 AUTOMOBILES
Poetic and dramatic images express the thrill of the ride: Ham’s Donnet, the Circuit de Dieppe, Livemont’s Automobile Club de France, Cappiello’s Automobile Charron and Berliet, and Loupot’s Huile Raoul Citroën.
ROGER DE VALERIO
Citroën C4. ca. 1928.
Not to be confused with the car of the same name produced today, the Citroën C4 was only on the market from 1928 to 1930. Influenced by American automobile design at the time, both the C4 and the C6 were meant to replace the Type A and B models from prior years. Its most distinguishing feature was the third door on the rear.
CHARLES TICHON
de Valerio
Bellery-Desfontaines
Ham Anonymous
Anonymous
Penfield
Tichon
Pal
36 CAPPIELLO
The father of modern advertising was both prolific and constantly innovative, and his creative evolution is palpable here in one of our finest collections of works by Cappiello. His earlier works make fine use of caricature with whimsical personalities that warmly invite us to join in on the fun. In his Art Deco period, we see Cappiello economizing information in favor of one bold, striking figure. Often, his incongruous pairings—tigers fighting over a bottle of Porto Pitters, or a rooster advocating for Gallus wine—are so surprising they become unforgettable. And therein lies the genius of Cappiello.
Cognac Gautier Frères. ca. 1907.
16 NORTH VIETNAM
From the mid-‘50s to ‘70s, the poster was a crucial form of communication in North Vietnam. In the midst of a brutal war, artists were responsible for disseminating messages to the vast rural population. They also depicted optimistic scenes to boost morale and raise popular support. To work urgently and economically, artists often hand-painted— rather than printing—their images. These unique hand-painted works from the collection of Deborah Salter offer a distinct perspective, and they are all seen here for the first time.
“This bold commemorative poster celebrates the fall of Saigon (now called
Dominating the foreground, a victorious South Vietnamese female soldier proudly
Liberation Front] armband and wears the checked scarf which identifies her as a
her
In the background stands the iconic market of Ben Thanh which gained notoriety during the
Tet Offensive in 1968 and became the symbolic landmark of
“Although Gautier is one of France’s oldest cognac distillers, there’s nothing old-fashioned about this ebullient eyeful bringing forth her vineyard-fresh bounty. You’d think that she’d appear at least slightly burdened beneath the heft of these hardy bunches as she trips the vine fantastic; the knowledge that she’s delivering a taste this enormous, however, keeps the spring in her step. This enterprise, which survives to this day, was established by Guy Gautier in 1697... Gautier’s success was partly due to the fact that he sided with the insurrectionists in one of the religious wars that took place in his time; when they won, he was named governor of the Cognac province, and he in turn passed its name to the brandy he had produced” (Cappiello/Rennert, p. 103).
KHO
North and South We Are One : Maquette. 1975.
Ho Chi Minh City) on 30 April 1975.
shows
FNL [National
southern guerrilla fighter.
launch of the
Saigon” (Vietnam, 47).
Anonymous
Anonymous Kho Ngoc
15 LAUTREC
La Chaîne Simpson, Cycle Michael, Eldorado, Caudieux, Divan Japonais, Jane Avril, Salon des Cent, Bruant Dans son Cabaret, Babylone d’Allemagne
La Chaîne Simpson. 1896. Lautrec captures the riveting energy of cycling in this astute design for the Simpson bicycle chain company. This notable image is available for the first time in nine years.
24 MUCHA
The master of Art Nouveau was so influential that le style Mucha became its own genre. His lush decorative images are emblematic of the Belle Époque: they exude the joie de vivre and prosperity of the era with ornate details, bursting floral motifs, and subjects that appear more like goddesses than ordinary women. “The aim of art is to glorify beauty,” he said, and his works more than satisfy the goal. This collection features many of Mucha’s greatest designs: La Dame aux Camelias, Moët & Chandon, Lorenzaccio, Times of Day, The Seasons, and more.
The Seasons / L. Brancher. 1900.
Of the various “Seasons” sets which Mucha created, this is a rare variant with the imprint of L. Brancher and the complete titles and descriptions; as always, it’s a tour de force, reaching beyond the decorative and into the subconscious. Winter is secluded, hidden, in tones of white and brown; Spring steps forward with erotic directness of intent; Summer is warm, languid, and indolent; while Autumn, regal Autumn, sets her bounty out with Byzantine splendor. Rare! (4)
500 POSTERS 60 HIGHLIGHTS
ATCHÉ
Job. 1896.
This is a rare proof before letters in the smaller format. “We know just enough about Jane Atché to be intrigued. She was born in Toulouse, worked in lithographic prints—at first in black and white only, later in color—and earned an honorable mention at the Salon of the Société des Artistes Français in 1902. Her scarce posters all disclose that Mucha was obviously [a strong influence]” (Wine Spectator, 101). Abdy, in fact, considers Atché one of Mucha’s two best followers in France (p. 100). Of her half dozen known posters, this one for the cigarette paper firm is her most spectacular.
VAN RYSSELBERGHE
La Libre Esthétique. 1897. “Van Rysselberghe exerted a positive force for the revitalization of the decorative arts at the turn of the century, but his posters are not numerous; those he created for La Libre Esthétique are unquestionably the finest. The elegant feminine figures of his posters, very knowingly placed on the page, seem to be the pretext for van Rysselberghe to balance large spots of red-orange against their greenish or bluish complementaries. The text is beautifully drawn and gracefully integrated into the design of the posters” (Belle Epoque 1970, p. 86).
BOUISSET
Biscuit La Touraine. 1901. Bouisset, of Chocolat Menier fame, levels the playing field to prove that all children—male or female—enjoy the occasional rascally behavior. Here, the little boy has been caught in the act of urinating on the wall in a scene that is both a bit uncomfortable and strangely delightful.
BRADLEY
Whiting’s Ledger Papers. 1895. All the features—and considerable talent—that made Bradley America’s preeminent Art Nouveau master are on display here, including his detailed ornamentation and fascination with typography. He excelled in giving his images a certain graphic rhythm, with the sweeping curves and lines complementing and reinforcing each other until they create a composition that attracts and fascinates with an insistent pattern. Here we are offered a wide frame decorated with a floral pattern, a central design in languid lines and sharp colors, and the quaint typeface with red capitals. It’s quintessential Bradley.
12 LOUPOT
Loupot’s prolific career was marked by two periods: his early Swiss years—1917 to 1924—show him to be a master of the female figure and a sublime colorist, as in his rare Tapis d’Orient, one of his first posters. Upon returning to Paris, he did away with realistic figuration in favor of bold geometric forms influenced by Cubism and Futurism. From 1930-1934 he worked with Cassandre at Alliance Graphique, where he developed his characteristic style: dark backgrounds, airbrushed details, bold typography, and charmingly abstracted subjects. The St. Raphaël, below, is a full-size maquette from the artist’s studio.
Cointreau. 1930.
Loupot created two posters for Cointreau using the image of the commedia dell’arte clown Pierrot; one male (see PAI-XLV, 369) and one female, as seen here. Pierrot had been a staple of advertising for more than 30 years and Loupot was brought in to give a much-needed update to the clown. Loupot abstracts and stylizes the character into Cubist forms defined by a textural orange peel which refers to the sour orange whose peel flavors this curaçao liqueur. The clown’s nose clip is not just an eye-catching device—Loupot borrowed the accessory from photographs of the famed mime artist Najac as Pierrot.
LOTS ARE LIVE BID NOW
ROUBILLE
Spratt’s Patent Ltd. ca. 1909. Spratt’s was a major British pet food producer with branches in several countries (their U.S. factory was located in Newark, NJ). Here, the French branch advertises with a poster stressing dog food. “Roubille uses a restrained yet warm style to show a happy mistress dispensing Spratt’s treats to her clamoring canines” (Gold, p. 14). It’s surely one of the finest animal-centered images in the poster medium.
MALERBA
Mele & Ci. / Mode Novità. 1910. Three elegant creatures take a two-sheet stroll— two of them showing off their latest finery from the Mele department store, the third equally well coifed and wearing fur. Malerba designed a number of posters for Ricordi, including at least three for Mele. “This poster of 1910 is the best bearing the painter Malerba’s signature and certainly among the most interesting of the Mele posters” (Mele, p. 206). Rare!
BONNEAUD
Pan! dans la Lune. 1946. Buster Keaton was one of America’s top movie geniuses in the era of silent comedies, but later his fortunes fell so low that he was grateful for any job. This poster shows the Great Stone Face in one of the oddest projects he was ever involved in: “El Moderno Barba Azul,” made in Mexico in 1946 by fly-by-night producer Alexander Saltzman. It had Buster, mistaken for a Bluebeard, captured by the Mexican federales who decide to get rid of him by sending him to the Moon! The film was never released in the U.S.; in fact it scored its biggest success in France. Possibly the striking poster by Bonneaud accounts for that.
MAZZA
Verona Concorsi Aerei. 1910. Mazza’s official promotion for Verona’s first major air meet is truly a tour de force. Set against a perfectly cloudless sky, we see the statue that adorns the grave of Cangrande della Scala, Verona’s ruler from 1311 to 1329; he was also the leading patron of poet Dante Alighieri. Above him, we glimpse two of the competing aircraft: a Blériot and a Voisin; an Antoinette was also flown in the events. The meet boasted 200,000 lire in prize money for the daily races, though a lack of entrants in the international speed contest meant that 40,000 lire were never awarded. Though the event was considered a financial failure, it was touted as a success for early aviation.
Foache Anonymous
Chéret
Grasset
Pal Gray
Steinlen Bouisset
Metlicovitz
Fernel
Toulouse-Lautrec
Anonymous
de Cidón Fioretti
Hassall Utrillo RARE AMERICANA
Anonymous Anonymous Anonymous Glenny
Penfield
Fancher
Toulouse-Lautrec
Toulouse-Lautrec
Mucha Mucha
THE COVER
UMBERTO BRUNELLESCHI
Palais de la Nouveauté. 1924
East meets West in this magnificent Brunelleschi design for this department store’s summer sale. From its floral and avian elements to the flattened perspective that calls to mind the woodblock prints of Hiroshige, virtually everything in the poster appears to have been touched by an Asian influence. Everything, that is, except for one major ingredient: the lithe and lovely French beauty seated at right who presumably has all of her fashion desires fulfilled by the Palais de la Nouveauté. Attracted by the Exposition of 1900, the Tuscan-born Brunelleschi moved to Paris and quickly established himself in the circle of writers and artists of the Latin Quarter. His stylized drawings appeared regularly in Gazette du Bon Ton, Le Rire, Vie Parisiènne, Fémina, and other fashion journals of the day. But, as much as he was a Parisian figure, Brunelleschi’s Italian roots were usually evident. The influence of his academic studies in Florentine color and 18th-century Italian design showed up in his wildly imaginative costumes for the Folies-Bergère, operas, and operettas. Rare!
