A 1930s pencil and gouache London Underground poster design for the Lawn Tennis Championship Meetings.
Measuring 11in x 18in, it is signed by AE Halliwell and includes the pencil annotations reading ‘Space for date’ and ‘Stations’.
Precious little is known about Albert Edward Halliwell (1905- 1987) but his list of blue-chip clients in the kaleidoscopic world of inter-war commercial art included London Underground, Kellogg’s, Bryant & May, Boots the Chemist and London Zoo. He later became a teacher, working at the Central School of Arts and Crafts in Camden from 1948 until 1970.
The contents of his studio – more than 300 designs intended to be worked into posters and advertisements – come for sale at the Canterbury Auction Galleries on April 11. Sent for sale by the artist’s family, the collection was previously in a loan exhibition at Yorkshire Sculpture Park, near Halifax.
Most estimates are set in the £100-1000 levels with this Wimbledon themed work guided at £600-800.
