NEW YORK, NY.- On Thursday, September 6, Poster Auctions International will offer over 550 examples of the best American lithography of the past 150 years. This unprecedented collection of images will be on view, free and open to the public, from Friday, August 25 through Wednesday, September 5.

The single largest section in the auction is dedicated to nearly 200 original circus posters primarily from the turn of the 20th century. Barnum & Bailey, Ringling Brothers, Forepaugh, Sells, Sparks, Hagenbeck-Wallace, and the Christy Brothers are plentifully represented, as are various specialty acts ranging from football-playing elephants to Gargantua the infamous gorilla. Buffalo Bill’s Wild West show and numerous other traveling & carnival attractions are also on view.

The afternoon session focuses on American products & services, the star of which is the exceedingly rare Campbell’s Soup tin sign from ca. 1905. Other notable items include Leyendecker’s design for Arrow, various Ivy League collegiate events, a collection of Mather work incentive posters, two designs by Andy Warhol, the original iPod ads, a Disney billboard, and an extensive section dedicated to early bicycle advertising.

A portion of the auction focusing on travel presents destinations ranging from Montauk Beach to Yosemite, Yellowstone to Niagara Falls, all possible via railroad or airplane. World’s Fair and Olympic posters are also included.

American entertainment posters could not be better represented, ranging from early theatrical designs to a 19th century announcement for Edward Manet’s first US tour. Silent film, comic book characters, jazz concerts, and the infamous Bill Graham rock n’ roll images are all included.

The second largest section of the sale presents over 100 examples of the finest early American literary posters ever collected. Works by Bradley, Carqueville, Gould, Hazenplug, Leyendecker, Penfield, and Rhead are in abundance, as are more contemporary works by Hirschfeld, Rockwell, and Ungerer.

The auction ends with a wide and varied grouping of political and propaganda posters spanning the last 100 years, including designs by Bull, Christy, Flagg, & Shahn.

All are invited to the free viewing starting on Thursday, August 25, through Wednesday September 5. Catalogue available online at www.posterauctions.com