Auction alert: Graphic Design Featuring London Underground posters

Original vintage advertising poster for the Creative Playthings educational toy shop

Next week is the Graphic Design Featuring London Underground Posters auction. The sale takes place at Antikbar, Kings Road, London on Saturday 19th March 2022, starting at 2pm.

There will be 251 lots of authentic, vintage advertising posters coming under the hammer. 100 of them being original London Underground posters from the 1920s-1930s.

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Original vintage London Transport poster - Summer Garlands on Hedge and Thicket
Lot 7: Original vintage London Transport poster – Summer Garlands on Hedge and Thicket
Original vintage London Transport poster – Summer Garlands on Hedge and Thicket. Design by Walter E. Spradbery (1889-1969) taken from a lino-cut featuring convolvulus flowers. London transport on bottom right corner. Very good condition, creasing, minor staining. Country of issue: UK, designer: Walter E Spradbery, size (cm): 25.5×31, year of printing: 1936.
Estimate: £240 – £480

Original vintage London Transport poster for the Kennel Club Show

Lot 27: Original vintage London Transport poster for the Kennel Club Show
Estimate: £375 – £750
Original vintage London Transport poster for the Kennel Club Show that took place between December 7 and 8 1938 at Olympia – Design by the notable artists Tom Eckersley (1914-1997) and Eric Lombers (1914-1978) features a white dog with a red collar on a lead. London transport logo in bottom right corner. The Kennel Club is the official kennel club of the United Kingdom and is the oldest recognised kennel club in the world. Printed by Baynard Press, London. Excellent condition, letter G posted over. Country of issue: UK, designer: Eckersley-Lombers, size (cm): 25.5×32, year of printing: 1938.
Estimate: £240 – £480

Original vintage London Transport poster advertising the Presentation of Colours by H.M the King

Lot 63: Original vintage London Transport poster advertising the Presentation of Colours by H.M the King
Original vintage London Transport poster advertising the Presentation of Colours by H.M the King – Event took place on July 16 1936 at Hyde Park – Design by Dora Batty (1891-1966) features Royal Guards wearing the traditional red uniform and bearskin hats down on one knee and holding flags up for the ceremony. London Transport logo in bottom right. The Presentation of Colours is a ceremony pioneered by the British Armed Forces that marks an anniversary or event in the history of a particular regiment. Good condition, tears, creasing. Country of issue: UK, designer: Dora Batty, size (cm): 25.5×32, year of printing: 1936.
Estimate: £300 – £600

Original vintage London Transport poster for London Zoo Giant Panda

Lot 100: Original vintage London Transport poster for London Zoo Giant Panda
Original vintage London Transport poster for London Zoo Giant Panda. Design by Clifford Ellis (1907-1985) and Rosemary Ellis (1910-1998) features an adorable illustration of Ming, the giant panda, laying down portrayed against blue and white background. Printed by the Dangerfield Printing Company Ltd. London Transport logo in the top right corner. Excellent condition. Country of issue: UK, designer: Clifford Ellis and Rosemary Ellis, size (cm): 25.5×32, year of printing: 1939.
Estimate: £300 – £600

Original vintage magazine Soviet Photo / Sovetskoye Foto

Lot 157: Original vintage magazine Soviet Photo / Sovetskoye Foto
Rare first issue of the original vintage magazine Soviet Photo / Sovetskoye Foto, No 1 1926, monthly magazine dedicated to amateur photography and photo reporting. The cover of the magazine features two silhouettes in yellow and light cream with their arms wide open set over black background, with red and black bold title text. The magazine presents various articles – ‘Our Culture and Photography’ by Lunacharsky, ‘How we photographed Lenin’ by L. Leonidov, a feature article on how to photograph for magazines and newspapers, Bromoil pigmentation with examples of an academic scientist B. Bekhterev and poet V. Mayakovsky, success of Soviet photographers works presented abroad, foreign novelties, advice on camera use, April Fools photo curiosity of a giant lion on Moscow streets; with various advertising for photo paper and photo salons; with photographs of A. Shayhet, depicting Leningrad spring, dragonfly. 31 pages. Poor condition, pencil and ink marks, stamp on the cover, scuffed spine, loose cover, loose pages, paper loss on pages. Country of issue: Russia, designer: Various, size (cm): 25×17, year of printing: 1926.
Estimate: £180 – £360

Original vintage public safety poster published by the Royal Society for the Prevention of Accidents ROSPA

Lot 213: Original vintage public safety poster published by the Royal Society for the Prevention of Accidents ROSPA
Original vintage public safety poster published by the Royal Society for the Prevention of Accidents (ROSPA) showing someone locking away bottles of medicine into a cabinet on a wall, the warning text above the hand holding the key in the lock and below: Lock away dangers in your home Medicines Tablets Cleansers. Printed by Loxley Bros Ltd. Good condition, small restored tears in margins, minor creasing in margins. Country of issue: UK, designer: Leonard Cusden, size (cm): 75×50, year of printing: 1950s.
Estimate: £90 – £180

Original vintage travel poster for Lufthansa

Lot 217: Original vintage travel poster for Lufthansa
Original vintage travel poster for Lufthansa featuring a colourful mid-century design depicting lines and shapes of an old city entrance with a book on the side, the title text and logo in white below. Formed in 1926, Deutsche Luft Hansa A.G. became Deutsche Lufthansa in 1933; the company’s crane logo was designed by Otto Firle in 1918. Excellent condition. Country of issue: Germany, designer: Hans Rott, size (cm): 101×63, year of printing: 1960s.
Estimate: £120 – £240

Original vintage advertising poster for the Creative Playthings educational toy shop

Lot 241: Original vintage advertising poster for the Creative Playthings educational toy shop
Original vintage advertising poster for the Creative Playthings educational toy shop in Manhattan New York featuring a fun and colourful graphic design by the South African toymaker and illustrator Fredun Shapur (b. 1929), showing a child in green dungarees and a white shirt kneeling on the ground and dipping a paintbrush onto a paint palette with contains yellow, red and blue paint on it, against a red background. One of a series of ten posters illustrating the different forms of play – dramatic, active, social etc. – and the products available in the store (opened 1945), also used for wrapping paper and in the company catalogue. Very good condition, minor creasing. Country of issue: USA, designer: Fredun Shapur, size (cm): 97×64, year of printing: 1971.
Estimate: £120 – £240

Original vintage advertising poster - Friends Melodies

Lot 247: Original vintage advertising poster – Friends Melodies
Original vintage advertising poster for an international pop music programme of artists of socialist countries – Friends Melodies 1977 – featuring a bright and colourful psychedelic style design with cloud like shapes around the bold cursive white title lettering in the centre decorated with a small white and blue flower against the red background. Organised by the State Concert of the Soviet State Countries. Horizontal. Good condition, tears, creasing. Country of issue: Russia, designer: V. Vair, size (cm): 58×87, year of printing: 1977.
Estimate: £120 – £240

Designer Desire: Kenneth Steel

Montage of Kenneth Steel travel posters

Born and based in Sheffield, Yorkshire, Kenneth Steel (1906-1970) was a watercolourist, lithographer and engraver of landscapes and urban scenes. In this post we’re honing in on some of his numerous travel posters – for the likes of British Railways and British European Airways (BEA).

At 12-years-old, Steel won a scholarship to attend the Sheffield Technical School of Art. He went on to become the youngest artist to be elected to the Royal Society of British Artists in 1936.

In December 1940, both Steel’s mother and his pregnant wife were tragically killed in the Sheffield Blitz; the bombing also destroying much of his studio work.

His work can be found in the collections of National Railway Museum, Fife Collections Centre and Newport Museum and Art Gallery. Originals turn up at auction – from Christie’s and Bonhams to eBay – and can fetch into the high hundreds of pounds.

In 2020, a book was published, Kenneth Steel: Catalogue Raisonné of Prints and Railway Posters. The author, Edward Yardley, has co-curated an exhibition of over 100 of his works – Places in Time: The Art of Kenneth Steel – with accompanying talk and tours. It’s currently being held at Harold Cantor Gallery, Weston Park Museum, Sheffield runs until 2nd May 2022.

Portrait of Kenneth Steelcredit: Sheffield Weekly Gazette

Additional image credits:
Art UK | Invaluable

Designer Desire: Anthony Burrill

Montage of Anthony Burrill designs

In this week’s Auction Alert post, one of the lots we featured was a poster by Anthony Burrill. When I did a little research about him, I discovered that he hails from Littleborough – literally down the road from where we used to live in Todmorden!

Now based down south in rural Kent, Burrill (b. 1969) is a graphic artist known for his bold, typographic works. He attended Leeds Polytechnic and gained a masters from the London College of Art.

I’m not a great fan of the increasingly popular ‘inspirational quote’ type of wall art – but Burrill’s work is something else altogether. It’s clever in its design; powerful and intelligent without the schmaltziness.

I try to say the most, with the least and connect with people through words…

I absolutely love his striking public art piece in Leeds city centre, alongside the River Aire (shown at the top of the montage above); it’s a massive 88ft high, a gable end emblazoned with his “YOU&ME ME&YOU. Have a watch of this bit of film where he talks about the 2020 project.

YOU&ME and ME&YOU from MANIAC on Vimeo.

Buy his work at Jealous, Nelly Duff, Print Club London and on Burrill’s own website.

 

 
 
 
 
 
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A post shared by Anthony Burrill (@anthonyburrill)

Additional image credit:
Chris Spencer-Payne

Auction alert: 20th Century Art & Design at Stouts Hill House

Large Batman stage prop, 'Ka-pow'

This week, we’re drawing your attention to the 20th Century Art & Design at Stouts Hill House, Uley sale. It will take place at Wotton Auction Rooms, Wotton-under-Edge, Gloucestershire, just north of Bristol. 230 lots will be going under the hammer on Saturday 6th November, starting at 12pm.

There’s an interesting mix of stuff – vintage film and music posters, art glass, mid-century modern furniture, lighting and original artworks. There’s even a piece by Rosslyn Ruiz whose work we have admired and owned.

There’s an inclusive buyers’ premium of 21.6% which is payable by all buyers, whether in the room, bidding by phone or leaving commission bids on the book. An additional premium of 3.6% + VAT of the hammer price is payable on all lots purchased via on-line bidding on the Wotton Auction Rooms website. However, if you choose to bid via the EasyLiveAuction site, there’s a £3.00 flat fee to bid.

They don’t currently offer any in-house P&P, so you’ll have to organise your own courier service for delivery.

Jamie Reid: 'Good Save The Queen - Never Trust a Punk' poster

Lot 49: Jamie Reid (B.1947) – ‘God Save The Queen – Never Trust a Punk’, signed, limited 40/100 digital print
The Aquarium Gallery label verso, 50 x 65cm, framed
Estimate: £300 – £500

Large Batman stage prop, 'Ka-pow'

Lot 102: Large Batman stage prop
Inscribed ‘Ka-pow’, 120 x 120cm
Estimate: £150 – £200

Greetings From Andy Warhol Christmas at Tiffany's book

Lot 106: A Greetings From Andy Warhol Christmas at Tiffany’s Book
In original binding, together with a further Drawings by Andy Warhol Colouring Book (2)
Estimate: £60 – £100

Anthony Burrill: 'Work Hard & Be Nice To People' poster

 

Lot 116: Anthony Burrill (20th/21st century) – ‘Work Hard & Be Nice To People’
Signed, black print on coloured paper, 77 x 51cm, unframed
Estimate: £60 – £100

Yellow Prinz Sound stereo module spherical radio

Lot 151: Prinz Sound stereo module spherical radio
In yellow colourway, 32cm high
Estimate: £50 – £80

Set of four Ercol light elm staking chairs

Lot 187: Set of four Ercol light elm staking chairs
77 cm high x 40 cm wide (af)
Estimate: £200 – £400

Plywood and wrought iron post office sorting tray

Lot 200: Vintage industrial plywood and wrought iron post office sorting tray
Raised upon original hairpin type supports, 59cm high x 51cm wide and 50cm deep
Estimate: £50 – £80

Ib Kofod Larsen for G-Plan daybed

Lot 215: Ib Kofod Larsen for G-Plan
Teak framed day bed with green upholstery and swept arms, 205cm long
Estimate: £800 – £1,000