Poster Auctions Internationals (PAI) first sale of the year, held Feb 23, finished at $1.9 million in sales. Auction LXXX demonstrated fervent passion for posters of all eras and styles. Jack Rennert, president of PAI, was thrilled with bidders avid interest in a wide range of works. Works by Alphonse Mucha and Henri de Toulouse-Lautrec are always highly sought-after, as exhibited in this auctions record sales for designs by these artists, said Rennert. But we were pleasantly surprised to see a similarly impassioned interest in lesser known works, including posters that we have never had at auction before. Muchas enduring esteem reached a fever pitch with his rare, and incredibly opulent, Precious Stones from 1902. The four decorative panels each personify a different gemstone, and this larger format version is scarce, only three or four full sets are known to exist. They sold for $192,000. Prices reported include buyers premiums. Precious Stones not only claimed the top sale at auction, but also set a new world record for sales of this work. The passion for Mucha continued with his iconic 1896 The Seasons, which are four idyllic decorative panels, and were won for $45,600. Also, his celestial 1896 design for Sarah Bernhardt, La Dame aux Camelias, was claimed for $31,200. It is a bull market for premier examples of Muchas work. The prestige of the Belle Epoque continued with Henri de Toulouse-Lautrec. The top sale from this Art Nouveau master was his joyous 1894 Confetti, which realized $40,800. His rare 1893 Les Vieilles Histoires sparked interest from multiple parties, leading to a winning bid of $31,200 against an estimate of $14,000-$17,000. For the father of the poster, Jules Chret, sales were similarly ardent. His 1897 Folies-Bergre / Loe Fuller has not been at auction since 2012, and collectors vied for the win. Estimated at $5,000-$6,000, the work sold for $16,800. Fans of Art Deco also contributed to enthusiastic activity on auction day. Leonetto Cappiellos works are always quite popular, but this time, a maquette stole the show. His 1927 preparatory work for Cognac Monnet, estimated at $30,000-$40,000, achieved a selling price of $52,800. The ebullient 1911 Florio / S.O.M. garnered $18,000, easily surpassing its estimate of $7,000-$9,000, while the 1902 Champagne de Rochegr topped out at $9,600 against an estimate of $5,000-$6,000. At the beginning of the auction, black images from the collection of Keith Williams were offered. By far the most impressive sale from this section was a rare 1918 poster image, Colored Man is No Slacker. The political recruitment ad was to enlist black soldiers and quickly passed the estimated $800-$1,000 for a sweeping victory of $12,000. Similar zest was exhibited for Pogdaieffs graphic 1931 designed poster titled Josphine Baker, which was claimed for $10,200 against an estimate of $4,000-$5,000. American designers had their moment in the limelight as well. Fans of San Francisco rock posters were taken with Randy Tutens 1970 Jefferson Airplane / Quicksilver Messenger / Santana (Winterland) poster for a benefit concert to bail out the Grateful Dead after their New Orleans arrest. Estimated at $2,000-$2,500, it earned $4,800. A rare ca. 1910 poster Buffalo Bill & Pawnee Bill / A Sioux Chief, by an anonymous designer, claimed $7,800 against an estimate of $2,500-$3,000, and Penfields 1898 Golf Calendar appealed to many a golf enthusiast, and its $10,000-$12,000 estimate was swiftly surpassed, selling for $21,600. Poster Auctions Internationals next sale will be held on June 14. Poster Auctions International is located at 26 W. 17th Street, New York, N.Y. For more information, call 212-787-4000 or email info@posterauctions.com.