1928 Kelly-Springfield Tires Original Ad

Touring, Gas station by Laurence Fellows

5 X 12"

     This will be shipped flat in a mailer, and not rolled.

These are all original, printed at the time. These are not reproductions.

Laurence Fellows was born in Ardmore, Pennsylvania in 1885 and formally trained at the Pennsylvania Academy of Art. Subsequently, he developed his technique in England and specifically in France. Upon his return to the US in 1910, Fellows became known for his Vogue-influenced drawing style that focused on shapes as a whole rather than on details. The thin outline and flat tonality were key features of his style at the time, Although his approach quickly attracted numerous imitators, Fellows’ preference for off-balanced compositions kept him a step ahead in terms of uniqueness, and he eventually attracted his first commercial client Kelly-Springfield Tires. Although advertising was rather conservative at the time, they provided him with the opportunity to combine his sophisticated draftsmanship with his humor and wit, sometimes coming close to breaking the rules against negative competitive advertising.

 Chosen Reflections/Million Magazines, Kaufman Texas 75142