Editor: Jaap Horst

Géri drafts for Bugatti

Ralf Scholz

About 1935, R. Géri got commissioned to design an advert poster for the usine at Molsheim. Subject was the velocity common to both the autorail and the T57. After print, the whole batch was cut down to 97 x 58 cm before being sent to Molsheim (fig.1, top of page).

Not many were spread and after wartime they were topical no longer. Bugatti used the remaining copies to wrap in spare parts at their spare parts department. For this, the poster is'nt too common today.

Astonishing, at the Hamburg exhibition Die Bugattis in 1983 a specimen turned up without trim, 99 x 62,5 cm, which was said to have been a printer's copy removed from the edition before trimming. In it's bottom line, this lithograph shows the name of the lithographer, A. MICHEL, at the ATELIERS W. FISCHER STRASBOURG 30, RUE DE L'AIL (fig.2). This Hamburg version will be auctioned by Nagel (www.auction.de) at Stuttgart on April 21st, 2009, lot number 149, estimate 800 €.

Regrettably, neither the Hamburg catalogue of 1983 nor the catalogue of Nagels in 2009 is showing the interesting data on Bugattis lithographers.

When the Radiator of the T57S became pointed, it was Lydia Bugatti who designed a similar advert poster (fig.3, right). A comparable third subject is the cover illustration of a Bugatti catalogue showing the autorail together with the successfull T57G (Die Bugattis, Hamburg 1983, p. 201, ill. 37).

About Géri, we do know little or nothing. Data of birth or death and even the christian name are lacking. Following an error occurring at Christie's years ago, Nagel as date of birth is giving 1934 whilst dating the lithograph in 1935 which excludes each other. Helpfull is a glance at another design R. Géri has done for Bugatti, the sales folder for the little motor boat You-You (fig.4, below left). The cover is signed R. Géri. As the engine was'nt built then and was never, perhaps, Géri built it in art work (fig.5, below right), monogramming it 'RG'. You-You and her folder date exactly in 1946 and it is evident that, by then, R. Géri was much elder than twelve years.

Photographs:

• Fig 1, top of page: R. Géri, Bugatti, Automobiles Autorails, Lithograph, 97x58 cm, ca. 1935
• Fig 2, R. Géri, Bugatti, Automobiles Autorails, detail
• Fig 3, Lydia Bugatti, Bugatti Le Pursang de'l Automobile et du Rail, advert poster
  Photo Credits: Jaap Horst et al., Bugatti Legends, Nieuwegein 2005, p. 35
• Fig 4, above left: R. Géri, You-You, Lithograph, french version, 1946
• Fig 5, above right: R. Géri, You-You, The Engine, Lithograph, english version, 1946

Vive La Marque !!