Porsche Showroom Posters - Part II

Jul/Aug 2021 edition
Issue #17, AutoMobilia Resource Magazine
Tony Singer

In this second and last installment on Porsche showroom posters, we’ll look at eight wonderful images from the 356 and early 911 era. All of these and many more are found in the recently updated Porsche Showroom Posters – The First 25 Years  book

​Let’s begin in the mid-1950s with Erich Strenger, Porsche’s in-house creative genius, and his “A Steering Wheel.” Simple, straightforward, clean and elegant, this super rare poster is 23.5"x33", and is under $19,000. That is not a typo, as this is one of the most desired Porsche posters. 

​In August of 1961 the factory issued the “B/C Steering Wheel” poster, which is 33.3"x46.5". A quite scarce poster, with a current value around $3,400.

​Next up are two of the four “Sporting Life” posters, all designed by Hanns Lohrer, to celebrate the introduction of the final 356 “T6” body style. The “Saddle,” which was done in August 1961, is 33.5"x46.5", is around $3,300 and interestingly has a typo in the text which wasn’t caught before printing! 

​The “Golf,” issued in April 1962, is 33.25"x46.5" and is valued at under $3,900. The others in the series are the “Rifle” and “Skis,” both of which are quite rare, as are all of them.

​In April 1963, Lohrer was enlisted to create the “World of Pleasure” image, which is 33.1"x 46.5" and valued at under $1,500.

In an effort to build a unique sales opportunity with prospective buyers, the factory issued two “Tourist Delivery” posters. A customer could order a car at their local dealer, pick it up in Stuttgart, have a factory tour, drive around Europe, and then have the car shipped home. Really, it was quite a wonderful and unique experience. The first poster was done in February 1966, with a collage of images by Strenger. It is 33"x46.7" and is valued at less than $700. 

​The second, issued in September 1967, features the new Targa, along with a Boeing 707, implying that they’d pick you up at the airport. This wonderful poster is 33.3"x46.5" and is under $800.

​Last in the group is the “Targa” poster, issued in February 1967, showing the many special features of this ingenious design. This poster, designed by Volz, measures 33"x 46.4" and is under $1,900. 

I have chosen to highlight the dimensions because, simply, too many reproductions are flooding the market, on eBay in particular. Pay attention when reading the ads, and it’s always best to deal with someone who guarantees the authenticity of their posters.

For those who are looking for even more details, I’ve published a book; Porsche Showroom Posters – The First 25 Years.”  It’s printed in a 12.25"x12.25" hardcover format containing 50 pages, covering 1949-1974.  All posters were direct-scanned for this publication so precise, spot-on colors could be determined by future collectors. 

Tony Singer

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