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

Tuesday Huesday: Vintage Wimbledon

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Wintage Wimbledon travel poster designed by Herry Perry for Underground Electric Railways Company Ltd in 1931

Well, it’s finally happened – Andy Murray has broken the drought of 77 years! Wimbledon has seen the first British men’s champion since Fred Perry way back in 1936. To celebrate, we’re sharing this vintage Wimbledon poster designed by Herry Perry (I wonder if she was any relation to Fred) in 1931 for Underground Electric Railways Company Ltd. Prints are available from the London Transport Museum.

Postcards home

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collection of vintage London Transport postcards

Much of our correspondence is done by email and text message these days…

vintage 1963 London Transport postcard - "Spring" by Harry Stevens vintage 1962 London Transport postcard. "Working" designed by Susanna Bott

…but it’s great when you get a real letter or card.

vintage 1958 London Transport postcard. "Summer Wallks" designed by Robert Tavener vintage 1963 London Transport postcard. "Nature Study" designed by Gaynor Chapman

Especially if they look like these!!

collection of vintage London Transport postcards

These are from our small collection of vintage postcards.

vintage 1961 London Transport postcard. "London Sightseeing Bus Tours" designed by Karo vintage 1959 London Transport postcard. "Roundabout" designed by Victor Galbraith

They’re taken from London Transport posters dating from the 1950s & 60s.

vintage 1961 London Transport postcard. "Autumn Leaves" designed by John Burningham vintage 1962 London Transport postcard. "Village Churches" designed by Gaynor Chapman

Artists including John Burningham, Victor Galbraith, Gaynor Chapman, Robert Tavener, Harry Stevens and Abram Games are featured here.

vintage 1960 London Transport postcard. "Spring" designed by Harry Stevens vintage 1960 London Transport postcard. "Conducted Coach Tours" designed by Abram Games

They’d certainly be a welcome addition to a pile of bills coming through the letterbox!