ALFONSO IANNELLI
ORPHEUM THEATRE POSTERS

These hand painted posters were hung outside the Orpheum Theatre in Los Angeles to promote the vaudeville shows produced within.  Nearly 100 original designs were created from 1911 to 1915.  As a body of work, they are highlights of early 20th century modernism.  Although encouraged to have these designs reproduced, Iannelli resisted as he did not want to be considered a "poster man".  Ironically, this most likely led to a lack of wider appreciation of his considerable contributions to modern design.  Despite his creative genius and long career, he has remained largely unknown to the general public.  In 1969, six designs were finally reproduced in printed poster form, and in limited edition quantity, as a means to raise funds for the Chicago School of Architecture Foundation.

ZOOM

SASCHA PIATOV
ASSISTED BY MIGNON McGIBENEY

Tempera paint on poster board
January 1915
38 x 28 inches

An Orpheum poster promoting a dance act.  This poster is very geometric in its design while still expressing the motion inherent in dance performances.  It also exhibits excellent bold lettering.

Provenance:
Swann Auction Gallery

CHARLES PRELLE'S ANIMAL CIRCUS
THE ROBBERY OF THE OVERLAND MAIL

SOLD
Tempera paint on poster board
April 1915
40 x 30 inches

This poster in metallic gold and rich red promotes a circus act.  How five dogs and an elephant managed to re-enact a train robbery remains a mystery.

Exhibited at Architech Gallery- Alfonso Iannelli: Modern by Design - September 7 through December 29, 2012.

Provenance:
Chicago School of Architecture Foundation
Kelmscott Gallery
Private Collection
Poster Auctions International

THE TAKINESS
A MUSICAL NOVELTY
 
SOLD
Tempera paint on poster board
September 1912
40 x 30 inches

An early Orpheum poster promoting a musical novelty. This poster is less geometric than later ones and softer in tone.

The square openings in each poster allowed the theatre owners to change the date for each performance.

Exhibited at Architech Gallery

MME. DONALD-AYER
FORMERLY PRIMA DONNA OF THE BOSTON OPERA

Tempura paint on poster board
April 1915
40 x 30 inches

Provenance:
Collection of Alan I. and Dianne Kay
The Estate of Alan I. and Dianne Kay

W. HORELIK ENSEMBLES
IN "THE GIPSY CAMP"

Tempura paint of poster board
March 1915
40 x 30 inches

Provenance:
Collection of Alan I. and Dianne Kay
The Estate of Alan I. and Dianne Kay

BERTHA KALICH & CO.
THE EPILOGUE TO ECHEGARAY'S "MARIANA"

Tempura paint on poster board
September 1915
40 x 30 inches

Provenance:
Collection of Alan I. and Dianne Kay
The Estate of Alan I. and Dianne Kay

R. G. MARTELET
COLEMAN LANTERN

Design for Coleman Lantern
Watercolor on velum
Undated - Circa 1959
24 x 17 1/2 inches

Ron Martelet studied industrial design at the Art Center School of Design in Los Angeles.  Upon graduation, he took a job at Sears, Roebuck & Co. and worked there for over 30 years.  He designed a wide variety of products, including mini-bikes, boats, lanterns, and christmas tree lights to name just a few. 

Provenance:
Architech Gallery

HENRY P. GLASS
DESIGNS FOR CARD CHAIRS

Four Sheets
Presentation renderings
Prismacolor and chalk on gray paper
Titled: Bridge Set BS 1, 2, 3, and 4
Circa 1939
Signed lower right
Each 12.5 x 9.5 inches       

Though not dated, this gray paper is only seen in the 1939-1940 period, dating these works to that general time. Stylistically, however, since they show a more modern, bar chrome design with a whimsical “Card Suit” backing, it may be a transitional phase early into his more extreme and short-lived designs of the middle of 1939. As modern gaming furniture for the home wasn’t often found, Glass saw it as a natural product for the domestic market. Most likely, the drawings (a table wasn’t found) were shopped around in 1939 along with cartoonish and even inflatable designs to various showrooms in New York City before he landed a job designing for the World’s Fair.

The original chair designs were kept in the Glass files and in 2001 sold to the ArchiTech Gallery collection.

Provenance:
Estate of Henry P. Glass
Architech Gallery                     

HENRY P. GLASS
MODEL FOR A COLLAPSABLE HAMMOCK 

Copper tubing, chain and felt
Date: Circa 1980
Size: 17"L x 4 1/2"H x 6"

Provenance:
From the estate of Henry P. Glass
Architech Gallery

HENRY P. GLASS
DESIGN FOR FOLDING CHAIRS

SOLD
Watercolor on heavy paper
Date: Circa 1939
6 1/2 x 9 1/2 inches
Signed lower left

Provenance:
From the estate of Henry P. Glass

ALFONSO IANNELLI
OSTER MIXERS

SOLD
Two designs for Oster Mixers
Pencil and colored pencil on tracing paper
Undated - Circa 1945
11 5/8 x 15 1/2 inches (Top)
15 1/4 x 17 7/8 inches (Bottom)

Provenance:
From the estate of Alfonso Iannelli
Kelmscott Gallery

ALFONSO IANNELLI
OSTER MIXERS

SOLD
Designs for Oster Mixers
Pencil on tracing paper
Undated - Circa 1945
Seven sheets of various sizes

In addition to designing Orpheum posters, stained glass windows, and Midway sprites, Iannelli was commissioned by large consumer products companies such a Sunbeam, Oster, and Eversharp to design a variety of household products.  Ranging from toasters, to blenders, and even hair clippers, Iannelli became a marketable name in industrial design.

Provenance:
From the estate of Alfonso Iannelli
Kelmscott Gallery