Lyon & Turnbull set to offer ski enthusiasts a chance to bring the slope home this winter

Lyon & Turnbull auction house has a special treat for the many skiers who were unable to make their annual pilgrimage to the Alps during the winter months.

Franco Barberis (1905-1992) St Moritz

This ski season promises to be something of a disappointment as relatively few people will be travelling to the slopes whilst the pandemic restrictions continue.

But fear not, as one way to get your skiing ‘hit’ in the New Year is to peruse The Ski Sale that is set to be held by international auctioneers Lyon & Turnbull on January 27.

The sale features a fine selection of original, and relatively rare, lithographed posters that focus on winter sports and tourism.The sale has been curated by former Christie’s vintage poster specialists Nicolette Tomkinson and Sophie Churcher. The pair first teamed up with Lyon & Turnbull to launch dedicated poster sales in 2018.

Werner Weiskonig (1907-1982) Davos Parsenn

It will feature a group of ski posters of resorts in Switzerland as well as others from France, Austria and Norway - all of them in colourful and striking designs remiscent of the eras for which they were made.

Werner Weiskönig (1907-82) is famous for his dynamic posters for sports events and ski resorts in Switzerland - his distinctly Art Deco 1936 image ‘Davos Parsenn’ is estimated to reach between £1500-2000 - while a poster of Toggenburg by Hans Looser (1897-1984) from 1952 is estimated at £800-1200.

The 1948 image promoting the merits of post-war St Moritz by Franco Barberis (1905-1992) is estimated at £600-800. It is understood that the Italian-Swiss artist first worked as a graphic designer for the shoe brand Bally before becoming freelance illustrator and cartoonist for Swiss newspapers and numerous children’s books.

Nicolette said: “All the gear and no idea when it might be used again? A vintage ski poster may be just the tonic for you this winter.“We hope that these posters can bring some joy to avid skiers who will miss out on hitting the slopes due to Covid. These colourful posters were created at a time when professional artists were hired to do tourism posters.“They are perfect for hanging on any home, office or even chalet wall.”

Hans Looser (1897-1984) Toggenburg

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