While eBay is still quiet after the holidays, there are a few things worth noticing up for sale at the moment. Of which my favourite are these musical instrument posters.
There are nineteen of them altogether, and they were produced, so the listing usefully notes, between 1946 and 1949, with the editor of the series being the Director of Music for the Royal Military School for Music. I’m guessing they were intended for schools, not least because they have the same format as the Shell Educational series, with integral black metal hangers at top and bottom. They’re all good, but my favourite is this, the invisible man plays the tuba.
They are all priced at 99p, and as things stand there isn’t a single bid on any of them, so a bargain awaits.
The other British offerings are more interesting for their historical curiosity than any aesthetic appeal. The Fritter Fly must have been designed as a post-war successor to the Squanderbug, but never quite achieved the same fame.
Despite being lovingly framed, this has just failed to sell at £50, so you could always make the seller an offer. Which is more than you might want to do with this one.
Yet again, proof that the art of the poster was well and truly dead (and buried with the coffin fully nailed shut) by 1973.
Moving swiftly on officer, there are also a couple of items from outside our normal stomping grounds. Shall we start with this painting?
It’s by Theyre Lee Elliott, who produced wonderful posters before the Second World War, and then concentrated more on his paintings after that. Just £49 if that’s your sort of thing. Mine, it has to be said, is his posters.
Finally, a quick reminder that PosterConnection are still trundling along on eBay, selling industrial quantities of European posters in their shop. Of the current stock, this Austrian design from 1954 is the one I like the best.
Even though I know that this, by Donald Brun, is probably a ‘better’ poster.
Comedy award, however goes here.
There’s something about the combination of the phrase Schutzmarke with underwear that my inner seven year old can’t resist. Even though it’s not really funny at all. oh no.