New York Poster Auctions Break Sales Records

Art Business News, August, 2000

NEW YORK--Giving new meaning to teenage cousin Billy's poster collection of supermodels sporting only tan lines and high heels, was Poster Auctions International's 30th semi-annual International Poster Auction this spring.

The record-breaking event brought nearly 700 bidders from all over the world to bid on more than 700 lots and realized nearly $2 million in sales. But don't be too quick to break the lock on cousin Billy's door and take to his walls with velvet gloves and an exacto knife--the posters reigning in the loudest applause and heaviest bids were of the more classic variety.

In fact, they were turn-of-the-century beauties; works by Art Nouveau master, Alphonse Mucha, as well as pieces by Jules Cheret and Henri de Toulouse-Lautrec grabbed the most attention. Leading the sale was Mucha's depiction of women, "The Four Stars" which nabbed $52,900. His "Zodiac" left nary a quiet heartbeat in the house when it sold above its pre-sale estimate at $21,850.

Cheret's two "Palais de Glace" ice skating posters--from 1896 and 1900--also broke the ceiling of pre-sale estimates, garnering record prices of $12,650 and $11,500. Said auction organizer and President of the 15-year-old Poster Auctions International, Jack Rennert, of the frenzy for Cheret's work, "The artist who is considered `father of the poster' remains one of the most popular in this field."

Father or not, the works of Toulouse-Lautrec--his 1896 "Salon des Cent" and 1894 "Babylone d' Allemagne"--proved to be the Daddy Warbucks of the day, bringing $41,400 and $32,200 respectively.

Does this mean all hope is lost for the owners of posters bearing scantily clad models and high-temperature views? Pshaww. Who said posters can't be considered fine art unless its subjects are clothed and the ink dried up a century ago? Not the bidder who took home the Levi's Belgian poster created in 1971. Featuring what Poster Auctions International only described as "bareass" the poster fetched $2,530.