Artist Record for H.A. Volodimer at $37k
VINTAGE POSTERS
Sale 2558; February 18, 2021
Sale total: $528,223
We offered 348 lots; 266 sold (76% sell-through rate by lot)
All prices include Buyer’s Premium.
New York—Swann Galleries’ winter offering of Vintage Posters saw the highest recent sell-through rate of the house’s large biannual sale in the category, “This is particularly gratifying under the circumstances in which auctions are being carried out during the COVID-19 era. The sale covered a variety of different collecting areas— Art Nouveau, ski, travel, food and beverage, and we set records on a number of different posters across the genres offered. Most impressive was that we sold 92% of the ski posters offered, which is far and away a company record,” noted Nicholas D. Lowry, specialist for the sale and president of Swann.
An artist record was set for H.A. Volodimer with Grand Prix d’Endurance de 24 Heures / Coupe Rudge – Whotworth, 1923, at $15,000; and Roger de Valerio’s Air France / Dans Tous Les Ciels, 1935, brought the highest price paid for the work at auction with $5,000. Additional poster records included Henry le Monnier’s Source Verdier, 1931, at $4,000; and a 1930s advertisement for travel to Zion National Park in Utah via the Union Pacific Railroad, at $3,000.
Art Nouveau led the sale with Manuel Orazi’s 1900 design for La Maison Moderne—the preeminent art and home décore store of the day dedicated to Art Nouveau—at $37,500. Master of the movement Alphonse Mucha was present with Tragique Histoire d’Hamlet / Sarah Bernhardt, 1899 ($17,500); and Zodiac / P. Ploton & D. Chave, 1898 ($10,625). Also of note was L’Estampe Moderne, a complete set of 100 plates in 24 fasicles, 1897–99 ($17,500).
The successful ski and winter poster selection included two poster records for Peter Ewart’s Canadian Rockies via Canadian Pacific, circa 1950, at $4,250, and Sascha Maurer’s Ski at Lake Placid, 1938, at $4,750. Also of note was Augustus Moser’s 1936 advertisement for skiing in Sun Valley, Idaho via the Union Pacific railway ($8,125), as well as Emil Cardinaux’s Zermatt / Matterhorn Schweiz, 1908 ($13,750), and Palace Hotel / St. Moritz, 1920 ($9,375).
For the house’s most up-to-date auction schedule please visit swanngalleries.com.
Additional Poster Records: Lot 135; Lot 190; Lot 199; Lot 282
Key: † = Artist Record; * = Record for Poster; C = Collector; D = Dealer
Additional highlights can be found here.
Captions:
Lot 72: Manuel Orazi, La Maison Moderne, 1900. Sold for $37,500.
Lot 103: H.A. Volodimer, Grand Prix d’Enduranve de 24 Heurs / Coup Rudge – Whitworth, 1923. Sold for $15,000, a record for the artist.
Specialist: Nicholas D. Lowry • [email protected] • 212-254-4710 x 53
Chief Marketing Officer: Alexandra Nelson • [email protected] • 212-254-4710 x 19
Public Relations Associate: Kelsie Jankowski • [email protected] • 212-254-4710 x 23
Social media: @swanngalleries
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ILLUSTRATED CATALOGUE, ADDL. IMAGES & COMPLETE PRICES REALIZED ON REQUEST
Swann Auction Galleries is a third-generation family business as well as the world’s largest auction house for works on paper. In the last 75 years, Swann has repeatedly revolutionized the trade with such innovations as the first U.S. auction dedicated to photographs and the world’s only department of African-American Fine Art. More than 30 auctions and previews are held annually in Swann Galleries’ two-floor exhibition space in Midtown Manhattan, and online worldwide. Visit swanngalleries.com for more information.
