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Original Vintage Skiing Posters

Skiing posters, like many advertising posters, were originally produced to entice holiday-makers and winter thrill-seekers to resorts and alpine areas. The early- to mid-century skiing posters were often designed by notable artists of the time and are colourful, dynamic, glamorous, nostalgic and stylish, sometimes also fun and quirky. The ones that survived now make for a good investment, ideal for decorating chalets and "back home" as a stunning reminder of a memorable ski trip.

Christie's used to host an annual ski auction every January, reporting an increase in popularity and demand for these eye-catching, unique designs. The average annual growth of poster prices at the Christie's Ski Sale from 2005 to 2017 was 26.7% per annum. Scroll down for reviews on their Ski Sale results (now part of their Interiors Sale), and to view our collection of original vintage skiing posters:

Click here for more information on our exhibition featuring original vintage skiing and winter sports posters from around the world. The catalogue for our exhibition is available to purchase online and at our gallery: AntikBar, 404 King's Road, Chelsea, London SW10 0LJ.

January 2016: AntikBar featured by Antique Collecting magazine (available by subscription and online). January 2015: AntikBar's original vintage skiing posters were featured by The Times (9/1/15) and Financial Times (10/1/15). Click here for more information and image links.

The Antiques Trade Gazette reported another record-breaking result achieved at Christie's Ski Sale in 2016: a 1934 poster by the Swiss artist, Alex Walter Diggelmann, advertising Gstaad that sold for £62,000. This poster was described "as rare and desirable...with a strong design and featuring a top skiing destination."

The 2015 annual Ski Sale at Christie's achieved its highest ever hammer total. The top lots were both for Swiss resorts: Silvaplana by Johannes Handschin, which sold for £28,000 and St Moritz by Carl Moos, which sold for £24,000. Gabriel Berner reviewed the auction and commented on the popularity of posters for the Antiques Trade Gazette: "Now in its 17th year, the Ski Sale is devoted to selling 20th century winter tourism posters from Europe, Canada and the US... Resorts enlisted the top poster artists of the day to produce eye-catching and dynamic works to promote winter holidays and entice the wealthy to the slopes. The few posters that survived the fate of being ripped down and thrown away form today's market... It's easy to see why ski posters have taken off: they are packed with decorative appeal and can give instant wall power to any interior. They combine the 'golden age' of 20th century luxury and travel with decorative tour de force of large mounted and framed posters... Generally, buyers acquire by location - if they own a chalet in St Moritz or Verbier they will buy posters promoting that resort. In terms of monetary value, the designs that advertise popular and prestigious resorts - usually Swiss or French - command the highest sums. The more dynamic and colourful the better, and if they are designed by a big-name artist such as Emil Cardinaux or Roger Broders, prices can easily double. Other considerations are rarity, condition and date..." (pp6-8, issue 2179, 21/2/15)

Following Christie's Ski Sale in January 2014, Nicolette Tomkinson, Director and Head of Department commented: "We are very pleased with the results of the 16th annual Ski sale at Christie’s which remains the only dedicated auction of its type in the world. The finest examples of vintage ski posters were highly sought-after, in particular for the section of Swiss posters, led by Emil Cardinaux’s poster of Zermatt which sold for £21,250. There was fierce competition for posters depicting resorts in Italy, Switzerland and Austria, many of which are now en route to decorate chalets across the globe." The Antiques Trade Gazette added that, despite some of the high prices achieved, "posters priced below £1,000 can still make a striking addition to any modern decor" and that "vintage ski posters are packed with decorative appeal...little wonder then that this has become such a popular area of the vintage posters market, gathering momentum for quite some time now and attracting an ever-growing collector base. The appeal combines nostalgia for the 'golden age' of travel." (pp8-9, issue 2127, 8/2/14)

The Antiques Trade Gazette commented on the 2013 record-breaking results seen in the annual Christie's ski auction: "What better way to relive that exhilarating ski holiday in the Alps than an eye-catching vintage poster of a breath-taking mountain view or athletic skier's descent through perfect white powder?... The fact that so few have survived adds to their value and attraction. In general, a poster with plenty of decorative appeal showcasing a prestigious resort, such as a Swiss or French one, will be the most sought-after. Often style, rarity, artist and condition are of secondary importance to the buyer. Yet, as is the case with many collectors, they choose to buy simply because they love a particular poster, and...buyers should also have an appreciating asset... Selling rates and prices have climbed consistently in recent years..." (pp6-7, issue 2079, 23/1/13)

Katherine Higgens commented on Christie's 2012 Ski Sale in Homes and Antiques: "Conjuring snowy peaks and the glamour of apres ski, it's no wonder vintage ski posters are whooshing out of the salerooms... Launching into the ski poster market is easier than you might think. A good starting point is to focus on locations you have visited. After that, what you select is governed by how much you want to spend... Posters for popular resorts tend to be the most expensive."

Below is a small selection of original vintage skiing posters available to purchase online from AntikBar with worldwide delivery. Visit www.antikbar.co.uk/products/ski_posters or use our search facility at the top of the page to browse all our skiing and winter sport posters. Please contact us if you have any specific requests or queries.