199 - PHÉNIX BEER - c.1940-50

PHÉNIX BEER - c.1940-50 Signed “Jean Nesius” Rare original lithographed advertising poster. 52.5 x 25 cm. “Imp. Robaudy—Cannes” In excellent condition— the colors are very well preserved and enhanced by a superb original sheen. There are two vertical creases, one of which has a minor tear. Mounted on cardboard only along the outer edges. The center of the poster and the entire visual subject thus remain completely free of any adhesive, perfectly preserving the integrity of the original sheet. The illustration features the brand’s famous and tireless “waiter,” captured in full stride. In the background, a frieze depicts other waiters whose expressions convey obvious discontent, accentuating by contrast the ironic dynamism and enthusiasm of the main character—No. 1 among luxury beers. In Marseille, the Valentine brewery, founded in 1821, took the name Brasserie du “Phénix” in 1886—after being destroyed by a fire a few years earlier—and became one of the largest in the Midi region. It produced numerous beers under this brand until 1968. Later incorporated into industrial groups, it joined Heineken in 1988, which relaunched the brand in the 2010s, showcasing its brewing heritage. Bouches-du-Rhône/PACA (Provence-Alpes-Côte d’Azur).