Anyone for Tennis? – Posters that is, at Swann Galleries, New York

By David Hulme & Brigitte Banziger, on 03-Jul-2014

The growth in poster collecting in all its forms seems to have been greatly assisted by the growth of the internet.

Strongly visual images and the ability to roll up a poster and ship it to the other end of the world undoubtedly offers great advantages over the traditional large oil painting in its delicate gilt frame.

Of course, poster collectors – like all connoisseurs of works on paper – can be very picky when it comes to condition. However, this is mostly overcome with a helpful grading system for posters. So even rank amateur collectors can avoid the purchase of posters of poor quality.

Lot 218, Designer unknown, Kooyong, 1957, estimate US$400-600. Image courtesy of Swann Auction Galleries

Swann Galleries in New York (www.swanngalleries.com) have built a reputation for their regular auctions in this area, and on 6th August will be offering Vintage Posters, including what they call “an outstanding group of tennis images from a private Australian collection.”

In fact, more than 70 of the 498 posters offered relate to tennis, and there are also a number of images, which relate directly to Australia.

With Nick Kyrgios’ epic win over Rafael Nadal the other night, perhaps the wonderfully modernist poster by Walter Goetz from the London Underground advertising the 1936 Davis Cup at Wimbledon (lot 171) takes your fancy, modestly estimated at just US$700-1,000.

Or you might prefer the much more glamorous and fabulous Monte Carlo (lot 196) by highly sought after poster designer Roger Broders, estimated at an equally glamorous US$15,000-20,000.

While some posters can command extraordinary sums, many stunning and large posters can be purchased for US$1,000 or less. A poster for the Kooyong Tennis Championship and Davis Cup in 1956 and 1957 (lot 218) measures 101 x 63 cm and is estimated at just US$400-600, and might well tempt the first time collector with an interest in tennis.

Amongst this diverse and interesting offering are a good number of Australian travel posters, including Australia - Fly there by BOAC and Qantas, c. 1956 (lot 396), est. US$800-1,200, and Australia – Australian National Travel Association, also c.1956 (lot 395), estimated at US$700-1,000.

Our own favourite is Manly and Warringah – The Playground of the Pacific, estimate US$500-750, of which Manly Art Gallery and Museum hold an example in their collection.

Or how about the quaintly titled Home to Ballarat – The City Beautiful from 1927 (lot 402), estimate US$700-1,000?

A good number of renowned Australian artists and designers are included in the sale, among them Percy Trompf, Walter Jardine, Martin Sharp, James Northfield, Douglas Annand, Eileen Mayo, Max Forbes and Alan D. Baker.

Swann Galleries may well continue their previous success with Australian posters. The auction house believes that the US$24,000 achieved for Gert Sellheim’s Australia – Surf Club, c. 1936 is a record price at auction for an Australian poster.

Nicholas Lowry, Swann President and Poster Specialist said:

"We are extremely lucky to handle the sale of this important private collection which was put together over years and years. The focus was not only on tennis posters but also on travel posters, beach and summer resort posters from all over the world including what is perhaps the best collection of Australian Travel posters in the world outside of the National Library of Australia."

Other themed Australian posters in the sale include war, Australian apples and Toohey’s beer.

The appeal of poster collecting is perhaps not just the ease at which to enter the market price- and shipping-wise, but also the vast array of themes that the collector can embark on: travel, movies, war, your favourite alcoholic beverage, bicycles, motorcars and aeroplanes, and of course last but not least, Bally shoes.

 

About The Author

Brigitte Banziger and David Hulme are the principals of Banziger Hulme Fine Art Consultants, established since 2003. With their combined experience of over 40 years, they provide private collectors as well as companies and public institutions with independent expert art valuations. In addition to their appraisals for insurance, family law, deceased estates and market values, they assist clients with transparent advice when buying or selling an individual artwork or an entire collection, for some of Australia’s most significant private collectors. David Hulme is an approved valuer for the Australian Government’s Cultural Gifts Program, and both Brigitte and David are members of the Art Consulting Association of Australia, where David served as President from 2015 to 2019. David Hulme is a regular art market critic and commentator on the Australian art market and has been interviewed by numerous media, including the 'Australian Financial Review', 'The Australian' and 'The Sydney Morning Herald'. He has also been interviewed on Network 10’s 'The Project', on the ABC’s Radio National Breakfast show with Hamish MacDonald, the ABC’s 'The Business' program amongst many others.

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