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David Klein Figurative Prints

American, 1918-2005
David Klein was an immensely prolific travel posterist who worked primarily for TWA and produced dozens of posters for the now-defunct global carrier. He designed several different series for TWA, ranging from early work that was realistic to later work that was cartoon-like in style. David Klein was born in El Paso, Texas in February of 1918. He moved to California where he attended the Art Center School [later renamed the Art Center College of Design] in Los Angeles. During the 1930s, he was an active member of the California Watercolor Society. This group of artists often chose to paint watercolors depicting scenes of everyday life in the cities and suburbs of California. They painted directly with little or no preliminary pencil drawings and used paper as a ‘color’ in a new and creative way.
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Artist: David Klein
Original Rome Fly TWA Jets vintage American travel poster
By David Klein
Located in Spokane, WA
Original Rome Fly TWA Jets vintage travel poster. Conservation linen backed in excellent condition, ready to frame. This is the earlier edition of the image Before ‘up up and away’! TWA (Trans World Airlines) was formed in 1924 as Transcontinental & Western Air. The airline's first route was from New York to Los Angeles, followed by multiple National routes. The airline expanded to serve Europe, the Middle East, and Asia after WWII when the company was under Howard Hughes's owner's control from 1939 until 1961. Hughes was a dominant force in expanding and promoting his company's routes. The economy was vastly improving, and travel by air for business and pleasure increased, too. Posters were a crucial element in promoting this form of travel and TWA. The airline started a decline in the 1970s, ending in a third bankruptcy that caused its acquisition by American Airlines in 2001. The airline operated in 132 destinations worldwide and had a fleet size of 190. This Rome poster was created by the gifted American artist David Klein (1918 -2005), and depicts a member of the Pontifical Swiss Guard in the center wearing the iconic yellow, blue, and red uniform. The Guard is playing a drum that has the pontifical emblem. In the background, we see a representation of the ancient Roman Coliseum and the Baroque...
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1960s American Modern David Klein Figurative Prints

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Offset

Original Fly TWA The Orient vintage travel poster
By David Klein
Located in Spokane, WA
Fly TWA The Orient, an original linen-backed travel poster by David Klein. Size: 25” x 40". Archival linen backed and ready to frame. Excellent condition, Grade A. Standing i...
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1960s American Modern David Klein Figurative Prints

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Offset

Original earliest Rome via TWA vintage travel poster
By David Klein
Located in Spokane, WA
Original linen-backed vintage travel poster: ROME via TWA. TWA Trans World Airlines. Lockheed Constellation flying over the statue of Poseidon (Neptune) Statue, Piazza Navona, ...
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1950s American Realist David Klein Figurative Prints

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Offset

Origiinal Boston Fly TWA Jets vintage American travel poster
By David Klein
Located in Spokane, WA
TWA (Trans World Airlines) was formed in 1924 as Transcontinental & Western Air. The airline's first route was from New York to Los Angeles, followed by multiple National routes. The airline expanded to serve Europe, the Middle East, and Asia after WWII when the company was under Howard Hughes's owner's control from 1939 until 1961. Hughes was a dominant force in expanding and promoting his company's routes. The economy was vastly improving, and travel by air for business and pleasure increased, too. Posters were a crucial element in promoting this form of travel and TWA. The airline started a decline in the 1970s, ending in a third bankruptcy that caused its acquisition by American Airlines in 2001. The airline operated in 132 destinations worldwide and had a fleet size of 190. The Boston FLY TWA shows a three-masted schooner in the background, a large colonial drum in the center with an American Eagle...
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1960s American Modern David Klein Figurative Prints

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Offset

Original Philadelphia Fly TWA Superjets vintage travel poster
By David Klein
Located in Spokane, WA
Original Philadelphia Fly TWA vintage American travel poster created by master artist David Klein. Professional acid-free linen backe...
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1960s American Modern David Klein Figurative Prints

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Offset

Bermuda Holland America Cruises original vintage travel poster
By David Klein
Located in Spokane, WA
Original vintage travel poster: HOLLAND AMERICA CRUISES. Artist: David Klein. This poster is printed on a thicker paperstock and doesn't require ...
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1970s American Modern David Klein Figurative Prints

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Offset

Original New York Fly TWA - Trans World Airlines vintage travel poster
By David Klein
Located in Spokane, WA
NEW YORK FLY TWA is an original vintage travel poster created by David Klein. Size 25.25" x 40". Archival linen is backed in very good condition, Grade A, and is ready to frame. No damage, no restoration, no stains, no tape, just an excellent condition original. Klein is best remembered for the dozens of destination advertisements he created for TWA during the 1950s and ‘60s. For Destination New York, Klein creates a stacked perspective of some of the city’s best-known sights, piling landmark upon a landmark – St. Patrick’s Cathedral, Rockefeller Plaza’s Prometheus et al. – then crowning them with a bust of the Statue of Liberty, and the typeface of the New York Times. TWA (Trans World Airlines) was formed in 1924 as Transcontinental & Western Air. The airline's first route was from New York to Los Angeles, followed by multiple National routes. The airline expanded to serve Europe, the Middle East, and Asia after WWII when the company was under Howard Hughes's owner's control from 1939 until 1961. Hughes was a dominant force in expanding and promoting his company's routes. The economy was vastly improving, and travel by air for business and pleasure...
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1960s American Modern David Klein Figurative Prints

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Offset

Original Southwest Amtrak vintage American travel by train vintage poster
By David Klein
Located in Spokane, WA
Original Amtrak Southwest Amtrak … Takes You Clear Across America vintage travel poster. Amtrack … Takes You Clear Across America tr...
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1970s American Modern David Klein Figurative Prints

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Offset

Original Germany Fly TWA Jets linen backed vintage travel poster
By David Klein
Located in Spokane, WA
Original David Klein, Germany Fly TWA Jets (Larger format). Professional acid-free archival linen backing; ready to frame. Very good to excellent condition. The image of this or...
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1960s American Modern David Klein Figurative Prints

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Offset

Original 'Germany Fly TWA Jets' vintage travel poster Trans World Airlines
By David Klein
Located in Spokane, WA
Original David Klein, Germany Fly TWA Jets (Smaller format)—professional acid-free archival linen backing; ready to frame. The image of this original travel to Germany scene features an old cathedral in the background and a wrought iron decorative 'rathauskeller' wine sign. The statue in the center holding the two birds spewing water. About the fountain: Gänsemännchenbrunnen (The Geeseman Fountain) depicting Philip Melanchthon, anonymous (presumed cast by Pankraz Labenwolf), ca. 1526, Nuremberg, Germany During the 1950s and 1960s, David Klein designed and illustrated dozens of posters for Howard Hughes’ Trans World Airlines (TWA). They remain the iconic images of the Jet Set Era. Up, up and away! David Klein was an American artist, best known for his influential work in advertising. Klein is best remembered for the iconic travel images he created for Howard Hughes and Trans World Airlines (TWA) during the 1950s and 1960s. TWA (Trans World Airlines) was formed in 1924 as Transcontinental & Western Air. The airline's first route was New York to Los Angeles, soon followed by multiple National routes. The airline expanded to serve Europe, the Middle East and Asia after WWII when the company was under the control of Howard Hughes, owner from 1939 until 1961. Hughes was a dominant force in expanding and promoting his company's routes. The economy was vastly improving, and travel by air for business and...
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1960s American Modern David Klein Figurative Prints

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Offset

Original "The World Holland American Cruises" original vintage travel poster
By David Klein
Located in Spokane, WA
Original poster: THE WORLD OF HOLLAND AMERICAN CRUISES. Artistic: David Klein. Rare original unbacked vintage original David Klein poster printed on heavier paper stock with a glossy UV protective finish. What's not to love about this poster? Here are a few things going on in this original cruise line poster. Some champagne with lobster, Rockefeller Center statue, Mosco, Athena Parthenon, a Japanese woman in a kimono, Christ on the hill in Brazil, the large head of an elephant in India, a zebra, African headdress...
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1970s American Modern David Klein Figurative Prints

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Offset

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Previously Available Items
Original Hong Kong Fly TWA vintage travel poster
By David Klein
Located in Spokane, WA
Original HONG KONG TWA vintage travel poster. Welcome to the world of Trans World Airlines. Archival linen-backed in excellent condition, ready to frame. The image is a collage of scenes from Hong Kong created by David Klein. The main image is of a geisha girl with a stunning traditional hat. A pagoda, dragon, worker with baskets, rickshaw, Yakatabune with its beautiful sails open, and other vignettes with people. TWA (Trans World Airlines) was formed in 1924 as Transcontinental & Western Air. The airline's first route was from New York to Los Angeles, followed by multiple National routes. The airline expanded to serve Europe, the Middle East, and Asia after WWII when the company was under Howard Hughes's owner's control from 1939 until 1961. Hughes was a dominant force in expanding and promoting his company's routes. The economy was vastly improving, and travel by air for business and pleasure...
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Original Egypt Fly TWA 3-Pharaohs vintage travel poster
By David Klein
Located in Spokane, WA
Original travel poster: Egypt - Fly TWA; artist David Klein, size 25.25 x 39.75"; archival linen backed and ready to frame. Fine condition. Note that the later edition of this po...
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David Klein figurative prints for sale on 1stDibs.

Find a wide variety of authentic David Klein figurative prints available for sale on 1stDibs. If you’re browsing the collection of figurative prints to introduce a pop of color in a neutral corner of your living room or bedroom, you can find work that includes elements of orange and other colors. You can also browse by medium to find art by David Klein in offset print and more. Much of the original work by this artist or collective was created during the 20th century and is mostly associated with the modern style. Not every interior allows for large David Klein figurative prints, so small editions measuring 25 inches across are available. Customers who are interested in this artist might also find the work of Alfred Bendiner, Warrington Colescott, and Frederick Mershimer. David Klein figurative prints prices can differ depending upon medium, time period and other attributes. On 1stDibs, the price for these items starts at $785 and tops out at $3,250, while the average work can sell for $850.

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