Edward McKnight Kauffer 1890–1954 Magicians Prefer Shell vintage poster
Caption Brief: One of the most eye-catching and effective designs Kauffer created for Shell, this depiction of a sleight of hand trick brings geometric rhyme to a surprisingly bold and simple composition.
1934
29½ h × 44⅜ w in (75 × 113 cm)
Provenance: Collection of William Crouse
Exhibited: Art Deco: The Golden Age of Illustration, 31 August 2025 - 29 March 2026, Sarasota Art Museum, Florida
Condition: Cond A-: with pinpoints of foxing, some faint points of discoloration, and creases. Dimensions provided are of sight; work has not been examined out of frame. Framed behind acrylic measuring 32.375 × 47.25 × 1.5 inches.
Literature: The Art Deco Poster, Crouse, p. 89; Kauffer, 45; Word & Image, p. 79; Müller-Brockmann, 202; Modern Poster, 164; Purvis, p. 21; PAI-LXXIII, 46
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Caption Brief: One of the most eye-catching and effective designs Kauffer created for Shell, this depiction of a sleight of hand trick brings geometric rhyme to a surprisingly bold and simple composition.
1934
29½ h × 44⅜ w in (75 × 113 cm)
Provenance: Collection of William Crouse
Exhibited: Art Deco: The Golden Age of Illustration, 31 August 2025 - 29 March 2026, Sarasota Art Museum, Florida
Condition: Cond A-: with pinpoints of foxing, some faint points of discoloration, and creases. Dimensions provided are of sight; work has not been examined out of frame. Framed behind acrylic measuring 32.375 × 47.25 × 1.5 inches.
Literature: The Art Deco Poster, Crouse, p. 89; Kauffer, 45; Word & Image, p. 79; Müller-Brockmann, 202; Modern Poster, 164; Purvis, p. 21; PAI-LXXIII, 46
Estimate
Time, Location
Auction House
