Nov 23, 2021 - Sale 2589

Sale 2589 - Lot 152

Price Realized: $ 2,125
?Final Price Realized includes Buyer’s Premium added to Hammer Price
Estimate: $ 800 - $ 1,200

LUCIEN BOUCHER (1889-1971)

AIR FRANCE / RÉSEAU AÉRIEN MONDIAL. Circa 1938.


24 3/4x39 1/2 inches, 62 3/4x100 1/4 cm. Perceval, Paris.
Condition B+: small replaced losses, repaired pin holes and restoration in corners; minor creases and restoration at edges.

Air France began using planispheres in their posters as early as 1933. "Lucien Boucher became the 'Mr. Planisphere' of Air France, making a large number of them between 1934 and 1962. Until this point, posters sold either a destination (Africa, the Orient, Europe) or a product (the Air France company); then, they became works of art that, incidentally, showed that the French network covered the world" (Air France p. 91). Although it states in the bottom margin that this map was printed in an edition of 600, 250 examples on "Velin d'Arches" (numbered 1-250), and 350 examples on "Velin Canson et Montgolfier" (numbered 251-360), none of the extant copies are actually numbered. Airways p. 74 (var).