collection of more than 30,000 original pieces. "New collectors are responding to the fact that these colorful works are very aesthetically pleasing. They're still affordable--many choice items are $3,000 to $10,000--and in today's homes, where the design trend is towards larger and larger spaces, even greater sized posters work very well."
After explaining passionately how name artists such as Alphonse Mucha and Adolphe Mouron Cassandre, whose 1935 Normandie ocean liner poster recently sold for $30,000, impacts values, Ross points toward a colorful 1920s ad for La Maison du Porte-Plume, a Brussels pen shop. Featuring two large ink bottles and an orange and yellow harlequin festooned with ribbons, this Beaux Arts work was done by the well-known Jean D'Ylen. It sells for $4,400, which is $1,600 more than it was worth three years ago.
"This piece is rare since a small pen shop could only afford to produce a limited number of posters," explains Ross. "It's a whimsical item that underscores the first rule of collecting: New collectors should only buy pieces they definitely like looking at. D'Ylen is also an artist with a track record. Unknown artists don't have that history, so enthusiasts must instead study auction records or simply work with credible dealers. They know how to discover pieces."
One of Ross's most stunning recent discoveries is a 1905 beige and taupe ad for the literary journal Le Frou-Frou. In pristine condition, the Lucieir Henri Weiluc work pictures a red-haired cabaret performer sitting in a chair with one leg provocatively raised, surrounded by wisps of cigarette smoke. Yet despite this flouting of "family values" (allusions to sex, alcohol and tobacco reduce the general appeal of many posters), the Frou-Frou's imagery is so strong and "flawless," according to Ross, the piece is valued at $60,000-double its 2002 value.
"The clarity and fullness of color make this Frou-Frou highly desirable," says Ross, who usually travels to Europe six times a year to unearth rarities. "This work hasn't appeared at auction in years," he says. (Posters are still not a major category at auctions, and that's kept market prices within reasonable (boundaries.) "But no matter how rare an item, buyers must run their hands over it to make sure there are no rips or folds. See that there's no bubbling." |    Only by examining a wide array of material can novices