BOSTON, MA - International Poster Gallery (IPG) proudly presents their 18th annual summer poster show “Pack Your Bags!”, an exhibition of original travel and transportation posters from around the world.  The exhibition, which is free and open to the public and runs July 4 – Labor Day, September 5, 2011, features over 50 original vintage posters advertising exotic vacation destinations, luxurious rail and air travel packages and modes of personal transport.   International Poster Gallery is located at 205 Newbury Street in Boston and is open daily from 10am – 6pm and Sunday from noon – 6pm.  For additional information, please visit www.InternationalPoster.com.

The show opens with Edouard Elzingre’s lively design for Martini, the first and most famous Swiss automobile manufacturer.  The poster, which is presented in a rare horizontal format, was created between 1909 and 1910 and features a Martini convertible surging up a mountain road past a speeding stagecoach.  Martini built their first experimental vehicle in 1897 and eventually constructed a factory in St. Blaise-Neuchatel in 1904.  The brand saw a meteoric rise in popularity after its British agent undertook a dramatic 2,000-mile cruise through the Alps in 1906.  This bold and kinetic poster captures the spirit of rivalry and technological advancement that Martini embodied.

Next is one of Edward Eggleston’s most popular advertisements for the Pennsylvania Railroad.  The rare 1935 design entices viewers to the carefree sandy shores of Atlantic City, featuring a Boardwalk scene with an attractive young woman sunbathing in the foreground.  The generally conservative rail line reluctantly gave Eggleston the freedom to use this then-controversial imagery in his design, which proved wildly popular and resulted in a torrent of bookings.  The poster boasts a rich color palette and iconic architectural settings, conjuring an pristine world reminiscent of a Hollywood set.

Summer sports are also featured with an iconic poster by world-renowned designer Roger Broders.  This 1930 poster promotes travel to Monte Carlo via the PLM railway, featuring a breathtaking view of a tennis tournament on the Riviera.  Broders was one of France’s premier poster artists of the 20th Century and is known for his distinctive Art Deco designs, which used simple lines and bold, flat areas of color to portray the idyllic world of the Golden Age of Travel in the Twenties and early Thirties.  The designer is best remembered for his work for PLM, examples of which are amongst the most collected and highly sought-after original vintage travel posters.

Additional highlights of this exciting summer exhibition include John Held Jr.’s 1934 Martha’s Vineyard tourist advertisement, The Enchanted Isle; Jean Even’s 1949 design for Air France, promoting tourism in Israel; and K. Manahan’s 1931 poster for the prestigious and highly-exclusive golf course at the Miami Biltmore Hotel.

In addition to gallery shows and special exhibitions, IPG’s award-winning website, www.internationalposter.com offers one of the largest, most comprehensive online collection of vintage advertising posters in the world.  Originally launched in 1998, the site contains nearly 5000 images accessible through a powerful search engine.

Editor’s Note:  • Background and additional digital color images available.

   • Support for feature development on poster collecting available.

   • Interviews with gallery owner Jim Lapides are encouraged.