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<TITLE>Coca-Cola Advertising Art at Illustration House</TITLE>
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<font face="Verdana, Geneva, sans-serif" size="5"><B>Coca-Cola Advertising Art</B></font><BR>
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<font face="Trebuchet MS", Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif size=3><strong>Exhibit and Sale</strong></font></a></div>
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<p>Once reproduced in print, original advertising artworks were useless commodities, and only became cherished collectibles by art directors or executives at advertising agencies who could appreciate the artistry. But even if they took it home, it was as unlikely to be displayed there as in a gallery or museum. As it was the property of the client, the artist rarely ever saw it again. Most advertising art was quietly thrown away. Generally, corporations had no interest in preserving the original advertising art, but the Coca-Cola Company was a notable exception. The corporate headquarters boasts a massive collection, and in recent years, their artwork has toured in exhibits.</p>
<p>Coke advertising was an industry in itself; there were print ads in virtually every issue of every newspaper and magazine, product designs, point-of-purchase displays, and posters ranging in size from cable-car cards to highway billboards. In addition to the mother ship in Atlanta, Georgia, each regional bottler commissioned advertising art as well. The irony is that despite the quantity of artworks produced, the appearance of original Coke paintings on the market is scarce. Beyond those kept at the corporate archives, the majority were apparently scrapped. We've seen fewer than ten in 30 years.</p>
<p>The works in the current show all come from an advert agency in the South; most are by unidentified artists or teams of artists since there was often a separate artist to do the lettering and another specializing in the condensation on frosty glasses. Coca-Cola swooped down in the 1960s and made off with the major pieces, but they overlooked many good ones and a couple by their star artist, Haddon Sundblom. The two by his hand in our current show are not signed (like most advertising art) but his hand is unmistakable to us. Even in shadows, Sundblom's palette is saturated and never very deep in value.</p>
<p>Invariably cheerful, Sundblom's regular folks enjoy themselves (even through Depression and war-time) and in their small-town hard-working optimism, seem to embody the fortitude of the nation. Sundblom had a knack for performing this magic trick, so his studio became popular and he hired apprentices who could eerily mimic his own handiwork. A Sundblom picture is one you want to enter, get to meet these charming unpretentious people and while you're at it, drink an ice-cold Coca-Cola. </p>
<p>Please enjoy these artifacts of an irreplaceable era.</font></p>
<p>— Roger T. Reed<br>
Illustration House</p></td>
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