6 vintage posters to inspire a Mediterranean yacht vacation

Planning your next superyacht charter or pondering where to sail your boat this summer? Depicting nearly a century of the Mediterranean’s holiday delights, these vintage posters from Christie’s forthcoming Posters sale (4 June 2015) may just convince you to book a berth in Monaco, Cannes or Nice.

The Balearic Islands

Drawn by Georges Taboureau under the pseudonym Sandy Hook in 1934, this lithograph was printed in Paris for French shipping firm Compagnie de Navigation Mixte. Founded in Marseille in 1850, the company launched their first steam propeller in 1852 and continued to carry both passengers and cargo between the Mediterranean and North Africa until 1981.

Les Iles Baleares (1934) by Sandy Hook, sold with two other travel posters.

Estimate £1,000-£1,500, place bid here

A playground for the rich and famous, these posters by Pablo Picasso (L) and Roger Broders (R) perfectly capture the sun, sea and glamour that made them so attractive to the classic Hollywood jet set. Printed in 1962 and 1930 respectively, the three-decade gap perfectly illustrates the enduring appeal of the glittering Mediterranean coastline.

Côte d’Azur (1962) by Pablo Picasso

Estimate £1,000-£1,500, place bid here

The French Riviera for perpetual sunshine (1930) by Roger Broders

Estimate £4,000-£6,000, place bid here

Encapsulating the three huge draws of the beautiful French city of Nice – the sea, the cars and the food – these illustrations by Alberto Fabio Lorenzi (L), Eff d’Hey (C) and Henri Matisse (R) are enough to convince anyone of the virtues of a Mediterranean charter. We’ll leave it up to you to decide in which order to indulge.

Nice (1926) by Alberto Fabio Lorenzi

Estimate £1,000-£1,500, place bid here

Nice (1935) by Eff d’Hey

Estimate £1,200-£1,800, place bid here

Nice (1947) by Henri Matisse

Estimate £800-£1,200, place bid here

Perhaps one of the lesser known of Côte d’Azur’s port towns, the deep blue sea, classic sailing boats and brilliant sunshine in E. Paul Champsiex’s depiction of Bandol present it as the ideal summer getaway. Cannes may have the Hollywood glamour and Monaco the high-rollers but if what you really want is a little blissful relaxation, Bandol would be our first suggestion.

Bandol (1930) by E. Paul Champsiex

Estimate £2,000-£3,000, place bid here

It may now be better known for cars and casinos but back in 1939 the Monaco aquarium was a huge tourist draw, as illustrated by Jean Luc’s promotional poster. Of course, if you’re on your own superyacht it only takes a short trip out to sea to experience the Med’s coterie of brightly coloured fish and sea creatures first hand.

Aquarium Monaco (1939) by Jean Luc

Estimate £1,500-£2,000, place bid here

Of course, no Mediterranean superyacht cruise would be complete without taking in the sights and sounds of Monte-Carlo. Whether it’s the lure of world class seaside tennis – as depicted by Roger Broders in 1930 – the thrill of high stakes gambling or simply the guarantee of warmer climes, if you’re going to host a glitzy party while on your yacht, we suggest you do it here.

Monte-Carlo (1930) by Roger Broders

Estimate £12,000-£18,000, place bid here