The Poster: An Illustrated Monthly Chronicle.
London: Ransom, Woestyn & Co., June 1898 – [July 1899]. Profusely illustrated throughout, including reproductions of contemporary posters, with several colour illustrations; the original printed wrappers, many with colour lithographic designs, bound in. First edition. Bound volumes containing the first twelve monthly numbers of The Poster, issued from June 1898 through the first half of 1899. 12 numbers (Nos. 1–12), bound in 2 volumes (6 + 6). In very good condition.
The first 12 issues of the first English periodical devoted entirely to the poster.
Founded in London in June 1898, The Poster is generally regarded as the first English periodical devoted entirely to the poster. Issued at the height of the poster craze, it documents the field as it was being formed, bringing together essays, reviews, interviews, and numerous reproductions. The material reflects the dominant styles of the period—particularly Art Nouveau and the simplified, graphic approach associated with the Beggarstaff Brothers—alongside French and international developments. Regular sections such as “The Hoardings,” “Palette Scrapings,” and “Rejected Sketches” record current designs, exhibitions, and reception, while also reflecting the growing interest in collecting and preserving posters.
The present set belongs to the initial phase of the journal, in which editorial emphasis is placed on the poster designer as an artist. The magazine brought together work by leading designers of the period, including the Beggarstaff Brothers, Chéret, Toulouse-Lautrec, Mucha, Steinlen, Beardsley, Dudley Hardy, Hassall, Bradley, Penfield, and Árpád Basch, alongside a wider circle of British and continental practitioners. The selection reflects a predominantly British field informed by strong French and international contributions. Covers and advertisements were frequently designed by artists active within the journal, reinforcing its position at the intersection of artistic production and commercial display.
Early runs of The Poster, particularly in bound form and preserving the initial numbers, are uncommon and of interest for the study of late nineteenth-century graphic art, print culture, and the history of advertising.
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Price: €3,000.00