PAI-LIII: Rare Posters

Ligue Nationale Aérienne. 1908.

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Description

Artist: M. DE LINIÈRE
Size: 19 5/8 x 28 7/8 in./50 x 73.2 cm
Condition: A.
Printer: Publicité Wall, Paris
Reference: Ref: Affiches de l’Aviation, p. 46; PAI-XXXVII, A32

Ligue Nationale Aérienne. 1908.
The French National Air League was founded in Paris on September 2, 1908. Its sole purpose was to make France the global center of aviation -- a direct response to the recent birth of the German Air League, formed by Count Zeppelin. While a variety of early aircraft, including a Blériot, are seen hovering above France, illuminating the country on a globe with their spotlights, off in the distance we see one of Zeppelin’s creations, doing likewise for Germany amidst approaching dark clouds. If that were not warning enough, the text below warns of the thousand members already in Germany’s Air League, an enrollment which the French must beat. Quite possibly the first French airplane poster ever printed!

artist

M. DE LINIÈRE

Sold $8,400

Doncaster Flying Week. 1909.

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Description

Artist: ANONYMOUS
Size: 25 1/8 x 40 in./63.8 x 101.6 cm
Condition: B-/ Restored tears at folds & edges.
Printer: The “Doncaster Chronicle” Printers
Reference:

Doncaster Flying Week. 1909.
Known as the first aviation meeting in England, Doncaster Flying Week actually coincided with a rival event held in Blackpool. While the latter had the backing of the Royal Aero Club, many prominent pilots decided to compete at Doncaster instead, including Leon Delagrange and Samuel Cody. Due to poor weather conditions, little flying was actually done; however, a great deal of press showed up for the week’s events. Rare!

artist

ANONYMOUS

Sold $720

Nancy. 1909.

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Description

Artist: LUDO
Size: 28 1/2 x 40 3/4 in./72.4 x 103.5 cm
Condition: A-/ Unobtrusive vertical fold.
Printer: Lith. Berger-Levrault & Cie., Nancy & Paris
Reference: Ref: DFP-II, 553; PAI-XXXIII, 431

Nancy. 1909.
With the world currently fascinated with all aspects of flight, it seems fitting that the International Science, Industry, and Art Exhibition in Nancy would use the latest flying contraptions as the ‘poster children’ for the event. Lasting six months, obviously more was on view than dirigibles and airplanes; however, the silhouettes of them hovering above the city’s skyline at sunset was really all one needed to show to guarantee large crowds.

artist

LUDO

Sold $3,600

Dijon / Aviation. 1910.

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Description

Artist: ANONYMOUS
Size: 46 1/4 x 62 3/8 in./117.3 x 158.3 cm
Condition: B+/ Slight tears & stains at folds & edges.
Printer: Imp. G. Gerin, Dijon
Reference: Ref: Affiches de l’Aviation, p. 61; Perier, 85

Dijon / Aviation. 1910.
“Although fifteen contestants were registered, only eight took part in the Dijon air show organized on the improvised aerodrome of the Maladière parade ground ... There were 16,000 tickets sold during the first few days, and up to 35,000 on September 25. There were big prizes for two speed events for monoplanes and biplanes ... Eugène Renaux (Maurice Farman) won the biplane prize; Robert Martinet (Henry Farman) won the other events: speed, total flight time, flight duration, and cross-country” (Affiches de l’Aviation, p. 34).

artist

ANONYMOUS

Sold $6,600

Saint-Omer / Fêtes d’Aviation. 1910.

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Description

Artist: ANONYMOUS
Size: 50 3/4 x 76 3/8 in./129 x 194 cm
Condition: B/ Slight tears at folds & edges.
Printer: Dervaux Frères, Halliun
Reference:

Saint-Omer / Fêtes d’Aviation. 1910.
Held on the heals of the nearby Brussels air show, the St. Omer Fêtes d’Aviation is little-known today. This poster, however, is one of the most delightful within the genre, the sunset-bathed ruins of the Saint-Bertin abbey looming quietly behind a sea of Bleriots and other early planes. Although stars are just appearing in the deep-purple sky, the spectators are still cheering on the brave aviators. This first flight over the city lasted only 19 minutes, but was witnessed by an audience of over 100,000 people. Four years later, this town would become famous as the headquarters of the British Royal Flying Corps throughout the First World War. This is the only known copy of this poster.

artist

ANONYMOUS

Sold $14,400

Grande Quinzaine D’Aviation. 1910.

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Description

Artist: ANONYMOUS
Size: 28 1/2 x 40 3/8 in./72.3 x 102.5 cm
Condition: B+/ Slight tears at paper edges.
Printer: Imp. Dondé Frères, Paris
Reference: Ref: Affiches de l’Aviation, p. 63 (var); Looping the Loop, 4 (var); PAI-XL, 218

Grande Quinzaine D’Aviation. 1910.
“During the Le Havre air show, which took place ... at the same time as the meet in Deauville-Trouville, Léon Morane ... was not at his best, winning only the altitude event. He climbed up to 7,054 feet, as measured with a barograph aboard a balloon flying at 6,693 feet. It was the new world record ... The organizers managed advertising savings by grouping the Le Havre air show with the one in Deauville-Trouville on the same poster as the Great Aviation Fortnight” (Affiches de l’Aviation, p. 34).

artist

ANONYMOUS

Sold $4,320

Bar-le-Duc / Grand Fête d’Aviation. 1910.

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Description

Artist: A. HAËG
Size: 35 1/2 x 26 3/4 in./90 x 68 cm
Condition: C+/ Restored tears & losses at folds & edges; slightly trimmed top & bottom edges.
Printer: J. Minot, Paris
Reference: Ref: Affiches de l’Aviation, p. 60 (var); Perier, 64 (var); PAI-XLVII, 279

Bar-le-Duc / Grand Fête d’Aviation. 1910.
“Held in Popey on August 14 and 15, 1910, the air show at Bar-le-Duc, the birth city of France’s President Raymond Poincaré, was nothing but a fair with balls, concerts, and festivities of all kinds. The four airplanes present were there just for show, and the pilots were only asked to pose for photographs with beautiful women” (Affiches de l’Aviation, p. 34).

artist

A. HAËG

Sold $9,000

Meeting d’Aviation / Bruxelles. 1910.

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Description

Artist: ANONYMOUS
Size: 19 3/8 x 29 1/4 in./49.3 x 74.4 cm
Condition: A-/ Slight tears at vertical fold.
Printer: O. de Rycker & Mendel, Bruxelles
Reference: Ref: Affiches de l’Aviation, p. 32; PAI-XXXVII, A4 (var)

Meeting d’Aviation / Bruxelles. 1910.
“The Brussels Air Show took place at the Stockel racecourse, right after the Aviation Week of Rheims ... It seemed most promising, the weather having been beautiful the week before ... The meet was completely dominated by the magical flying skills of the Belgian Jan Olieslagers, nicknamed ‘the Antwerp Demon,’ a hotheaded and talented sportsman (a cycling champion) who won all of the prizes” (Affiches de l’Aviation, p. 33). This is the smaller format.

artist

ANONYMOUS

Sold $2,640

Grande Semaine d’Aviation. 1910.

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Description

Artist: CHARLES RAMBERT (1867-1932)
Size: 35 3/4 x 49 3/4 in./91 x 126.5 cm
Condition: B/ Slight tears at folds.
Printer: Imp. Girieud, Rouen
Reference: Ref: Affiches de l’Aviation, p. 56; Looping the Loop. 37; Toujours Plus Haut, p. 93; Perier, 97; PAI-XLIX, 33

Grande Semaine d’Aviation. 1910.
“Organized by the city of Rouen, and financed by the Ligue Nationale Aérienne, the newspaper L’Auto, and the Automobile Club de Normandie, this meet took place on the Rouvray parade ground, following the Budapest international air show and the third Port-Aviation show. Fifty thousand spectators attended the Great Aviation Week of Rouen, with its two-mile circuit, to watch a dozen monoplanes and as many biplanes compete in the now classic disciplines: speed, altitude, and flight duration. The air show’s prizes totaled 200,000 francs (150,000 francs according to the posters). The air show was dominated by a talented young man, Léon Morane, who won all of the events, while Marcel Hanriot, Europe’s youngest aviators, was making his debut” (Affiches de l’Aviation, p. 33).

artist

CHARLES RAMBERT (1867-1932)

Sold $10,200

Grande Semaine d’Aviation / Rouen. 1910.

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Description

Artist: GEORGES VILLA (1883-1965)
Size: 36 1/8 x 48 1/2 in./91.8 x 123.4 cm
Condition: B-/ Restored tears at folds & edges.
Printer: Imp. Emile Wolf, Rouen
Reference: Ref: Affiches de l’Aviation, p. 55; Looping the Loop. 38; Toujours Plus Haut, p. 92; Perier, 83; PAI-XLIX, 32

Grande Semaine d’Aviation / Rouen. 1910.
“Rouen displayed more than one poster to publicize its June meeting of 1910. In addition to the better known version of a pilot saluting the saints as he rounds the city’s famous cathedral [see PAI-XXXVII, A36], there was this striking portrayal by respected artist Georges Villa of what one may assume to be the Spirit of Flight, a robed female figure spreading her wings in emulation of a speeding monoplane. There was no need to remind spectators of the historical significance of Rouen. It was here that Joan of Arc was burned at the stake by the English in 1431” (Looping the Loop, p. 59). It’s also interesting to note that while the organizers of the event shortened its length, starting it on the nineteenth rather than the sixteenth of June, this poster fails to note that change which appears on nearly all other known examples.

artist

GEORGES VILLA (1883-1965)

Sold $3,120

Description

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