98 / 172
150
●
MAXWELL FOSTER.
“The Best in Ameerikay.” Oil on canvas.
813x610 mm; 32x24 inches. Signed, titled,
and dated 1927 by Foster in image, lower
left. Advertisement for the R. J. Reynolds
Tobacco Company. On original stretcher;
canvas pulled and slightly buckled, some
surface soiling and craquelure, three minor
areas of abrasion and one 1-inch puncture
to canvas.
[600/900]
A detailed folk painting advertisement by
Foster of a mid-Atlantic tobacco farmer chewing
on a cigar. A strong image in need of some
restoration. Listed in Library of Congress copy-
right for 1927.
149
●
(FRED COOPER.)
Bronze figure statue / ring holder cast by
Gorham for The New York Edison
Company. 127 mm; 5 inches high by 114
mm; 4
1
/
2
inches wide (base measures 603
mm; 2
1
/
2
inches diameter). Cooper’s iconic
Colonial butler figure holding a tray with
a single light bulb, the base engraved with
“Compliments of The New York Edison
Company” and the side of the base reads
“Gorham Co. `FortyYears at Your Service’
September 4, 1882 - 1922.”
[300/400]
Cooper began his thirty-plus year relationship
with The New York Edison Company soon
after arriving in NewYork in 1904. His illus-
trations and artistic lettering for both for their
corporate image and the Edison Weekly maga-
zine quickly became the official hallmark of the
company, used in mass advertising on posters,
flyers, letterheads, print ads and calendars. His
most famous and recognizable illustration for
them was the Knickerbocker figure used for this
bronze.This piece is sometimes misattributed to
Maxfield Parrish.These charming bronzes were
created for presentation only and were never
offered for sale.
149
150