Skip to main content
Want more images or videos?
Request additional images or videos from the seller
1 of 21

King Arthur Mural (16' x 6') by Peter Ostuni for Savoy-Plaza Hotel 1951

About the Item

Astonishingly beautiful and monumental mural spanning eleven individual panels which when assembled are 16 feet long by 6 feet high. The panels are reverse paint and applique on sheets of Plexiglass and were painted by Peter Ostuni (American, 1908-1992) in 1951 for the lobby bar of the Savoy-Plaza Hotel at Fifth Avenue between 58th and 59th Street, New York City under design firm Tom Lee Ltd. (Don and Betty Draper of Mad Men celebrated Valentine's Day 1962 at the Savoy Plaza with drinks and room service). The hotel was built in 1927, was known as the Savoy-Hilton between 1958-1962 then, after the World's Fair, demolished in 1965 to make way for Skidmore Owens & Merrill's General Motors skyscraper. In 1965 the mural was purchased by playwright Joseph Hayes who installed it in his Connecticut Tudor castle home where it has been for the past ~40 years. See photos of a Savoy-Hilton brochure circa 1959 (courtesy of the Hospitality Industry Archives). In situ the hotel bar the eleven panels were set within a large backlit frame mounted to the wall above the bar. In the home of Joseph Hayes (image 9) the panels slid into sections of half inch aluminum channel which were attached to the frame for a backlit wall. We suggest that each panel be framed individually then displayed together mounted to a light box. For best appearance and to achieve the intended effect of stained glass window backlighting should be evenly distributed. Please contact to discuss. Peter Ostuni, painter and enamelist, studied at the Cooper Union and was a professor of art at Kirkland College. Through the Virginia Frankel Gallery of New York sInce 1951 he was commissioned each year to create panels or murals out of vitreous enamel, illuminated walls out of laminated plastic, free standing walls, as well as bas reliefs of cast stone for various national corporations including the 1964 New York World's Fair, to Park Sheraton hotel banquet halls in New York to the Fort Worth Children's Museum as well as vitreous panels for more than six ocean liners, including the famous Navajo Lounge on the SS United States. We have collected an extensive archive of supporting documentation.
  • Creator:
    Peter Ostuni (Designer)
  • Dimensions:
    Height: 72 in (182.88 cm)Width: 196 in (497.84 cm)Depth: 0.5 in (1.27 cm)
  • Sold As:
    Set of 14
  • Style:
    Mid-Century Modern (Of the Period)
  • Materials and Techniques:
  • Place of Origin:
  • Period:
  • Date of Manufacture:
    Early 1950's
  • Condition:
    Wear consistent with age and use. Minor losses.
  • Seller Location:
    Hanover, MA
  • Reference Number:
    1stDibs: LU8866757967

More From This Seller

View All
"Il Contadino" Enamel on Copper by Bruno Santini, 1954
By Bruno Santini
Located in Hanover, MA
Enameled copper sheet mounted on canvas wrapped board with a painting depicting the harlequin style costume of a standing male figure. Signed on reverse by the artist, Bruno Santini...
Category

Vintage 1950s Italian Mid-Century Modern Wall-mounted Sculptures

Materials

Copper, Enamel

Metal Wall Plaques of Stylized Wine Bottles By Sexton
By Sexton
Located in Hanover, MA
1950's wall plaques made of colorfully enameled cast metal in form of stylized wine bottles. Various configurations possible as some are singles while others are doubles and triples...
Category

Vintage 1950s American Mid-Century Modern Wall-mounted Sculptures

Materials

Metal

3-D Gastro Intestinal Model by CENCO
By Central Scientific Company
Located in Hanover, MA
Vintage 1960's medical office or classroom model diagram of the anatomy of the human G-I system. Wall plaque in hand painted plaster relief. Element...
Category

Vintage 1960s American Scientific Instruments

"Transmutation" by Bernhard Rohne, Acid Etched Brass Panel in Frame 18/100
By Bernhard Rohne
Located in Hanover, MA
Framed acid etched brass panel by Bernhard Rohne. 32 inches wide by 24 inches high. Signed and dated lower left "Bernhard Rohne 18/100 1. Feb. '78" The title of this work is "Transmutation" and comes from a series of "space" related designs begun for the 1975 gallery opening...
Category

Vintage 1970s Canadian Mid-Century Modern Wall-mounted Sculptures

Materials

Brass

Wire Art Wall Mounted Sculpture of Boston Skyline by Barrett DeBusk
By Barrett Debusk
Located in Hanover, MA
Wall mounted wire art sculpture by artist Barrett DeBusk depicting a charming view of the skyline of Boston including rowers on the Charles River, Longfe...
Category

1990s American Modern Wall-mounted Sculptures

Materials

Steel

“Passion Triptych” Life Size Erotic Relief by Karoy Kovacs
By Karoy Kovacs
Located in Hanover, MA
A wall-mounted allegorical figural group in hand painted plaster resin relief depicting life sized nude sculptures modeled in erotic position...
Category

1990s American Post-Modern Wall-mounted Sculptures

Materials

Resin, Plaster

You May Also Like

17th Century Hand Painted Venetian Gondola Funeral Board, Memento Mori
Located in Lowestoft, GB
A large green ground Venetian funerary board, this would of hugged the top hull of a gondola hence the boards convex construction. And obviously this would of been used for funeral p...
Category

Antique Late 17th Century Italian Paintings

Materials

Pine

Set of Seven Monumental Hand-Painted Tools
Located in Los Angeles, CA
Unique set of seven hand-painted tools. Each one is approximately 8 feet tall. Set includes, hammer, Phillips head screw driver, three wrenches, a saw and needle nose pliers. Hand-pa...
Category

Vintage 1970s American Wall-mounted Sculptures

Materials

Metal

Set of Seven Monumental Hand-Painted Tools
$4,800 Sale Price / set
36% Off
Signed Original Alexander Gore Abstract Oil Painting
Located in Delray Beach, FL
Original Alexander Gore oil on canvas painting. Beautiful abstract texture colors .signed by the artist.
Category

20th Century American Paintings

Materials

Canvas, Wood, Paint

Manhattan Mural by Olivia Cognet
By Olivia Cognet
Located in Geneve, CH
Manhattan Mural by Olivia Cognet Dimensions: D 5 x W 80 x H 140 cm Materials: Ceramic. Each of Olivia’s handmade creations is a unique work of art, the snapshot of a precious momen...
Category

2010s French Post-Modern Ceramics

Materials

Ceramic

Mini Mural by Olivia Cognet
By Olivia Cognet
Located in Geneve, CH
Mini Mural by Olivia Cognet Dimensions: D 5 x W 28 x H 32 cm Materials: Stone. Each of Olivia’s handmade creations is a unique work of art, the snapshot of a precious moment captu...
Category

2010s French Post-Modern Ceramics

Materials

Stone

Mini Mural by Olivia Cognet
By Olivia Cognet
Located in Geneve, CH
Mini Mural by Olivia Cognet Dimensions: D 5 x W 35 x H 36 cm Materials: Stone. Each of Olivia’s handmade creations is a unique work of art, the snapshot of a precious moment captu...
Category

2010s French Post-Modern Ceramics

Materials

Stone

Recently Viewed

View All