Excelsior Auto Cycle" poster from the early 20th century.

Excelsior Auto Cycle" poster from the early 20th century.

Poster of the American company Excelsior Motor Manufacturing & Supply, a prominent motorcycle brand based in Chicago, famous for models such as the 1925 "Super X", designed to compete with Indian and Harley-Davidson.

Posters like the one now up for bid are highly valued in the art market because they reflect the social, cultural and technological changes of an era marked by modernity and progress. Beyond their advertising function, they became an accessible art form that helped define the visual identity of cities, brands and lifestyles. Through their dynamic images, striking colors and innovative compositions, they promoted new habits related to leisure, tourism, sports and mobility, while conveying ideals of elegance, freedom and sophistication. They also played a fundamental role in the evolution of modern graphic design, especially under the influence of Art Nouveau and Art Deco, becoming today valuable historical and cultural testimonies of their time.