Artist: FERDINAND LUNEL (1857-1933)
Size: 54 5/8 x 38 in./138.7 x 96.5 cm
Condition: B+/ Slight tears at folds. Framed.
Printer: Imp. Charles Verneau, Paris
Reference: Ref: Bicycle Posters, 29 (var); Petite Reine, 48 (var); Reims, 829; Maindron 1896, p. 87; Sport à l’Affiche, 111; Ailes, p. 19; PAI-LXXXV, 32
Key Words: Art Nouveau; Bicycles

Rouxel & Dubois. ca. 1894.
Known mostly for his humorous drawings, Lunel, a native of Paris, worked for numerous magazines, starting with Tout Paris. After La Vie Moderne (1879), La Vie Militaire (1883), Paris-Illustré (1884), and La Revue Illustré (1885), he worked for ten years with Le Courrier Français. His designs show up even in exotic publications such as Le Moustique in Africa and Pick Me Up in London. This excellent poster, featuring an interplanetary tandem ride, is way ahead of its time, as Maindron saw straight off: "This poster is well done; peddling with verve, on a bicycle which must be perfection itself, two riders carried away by an uncommon intensity have left the earth and find themselves in the middle of the starry sky” (p. 87).

Artist: LÉON VALENTIN
Size: 36 7/8 x 50 1/4 in./93.6 x 128.7 cm
Condition: A-/ Unobtrusive folds.
Printer: Imp. P. Leménil, Asnières
Reference:
Key Words: Art Nouveau; Bicycles

Cycles Hanzer.
Poor Pierrot, exhausted from his hike, has landed in the devil’s cave. But the Satanic creature might not be all bad, for he’s tantalizing our friend with a magic bicycle so he can easily continue his journey. Cycles Hanzer was a small and short-lived producer of bicycles in Petit-Ivry. Note that interested customers are advised to call the factory, and yet no phone number is provided. Rare!

Artist: SERVANDO
Size: 29 1/8 x 40 in./74 x 101.5 cm
Condition: A-/ Unobtrusive folds.
Printer: Imp. Gaffré Fils, Paris
Reference:
Key Words: Art Nouveau; Bicycles

St. George’s Engineering / “New Rapid” Cycles. ca. 1890.
Using a British-made St. George’s cycle to gain some height, a mother helps her young boy paint a sign to advertise their bike of choice. Developed in 1889, this safety cycle had an improved cross frame and a small footrest on the front wheel for coasting.

Artist: MAURICE MARODON
Size: 62 3/8 x 45 3/4 in./158.4 x 116.2 cm
Condition: A.
Printer: Imp. Paul Dupont, Paris
Reference: Ref: Petite Reine, 109; Publicité, p. 44; PAI-LV, 40
Key Words: Art Nouveau; Bicycles

La Française Diamant. 1910.
Known as “les deux Emiles,” Emile Georget and Emile Friol were the French champions in two different bicycling disciplines—the former in road racing, and the latter in sprints. As national athletic heroes, it seems only natural that they should be chosen to endorse the French “Diamant” brand of bicycle while wearing their country’s colors.

Artist: MAURICE MARODON
Size: 42 1/2 x 58 7/8 in./108 x 149.5 cm
Condition: A.
Printer: P. Dupont, Paris
Reference: Ref: PAI-LXXXI, 73
Key Words: Art Nouveau; Bicycles

La Française. ca. 1899.
The Bordeaux-Paris bicycle race was an event of such interest that crowds of spectators lined the entire 360-mile route between the two cities. While the rest of this poster for the winning La Française "Diamond" bicycle is handled in bright, flat colors, the face of the unidentified winner is done as an expressive portrait (but on the basis of the colors he's wearing, chances are he's Belgian). Guidon handlebars and Persan tires are also given some credit.