O'galop (Marius Rossillon, 1867-1946) Le Pneu... Lot 17

O'galop (Marius Rossillon, 1867-1946) Le Pneu Michelin / Nunc est bibendum. 1896. SIZE: 47 x 63 in./119.5 x 160 cm PRINTER: Imp. Cornille & Serre, Paris DESCRIPTION: This is the first of all the Bibendum designs. In 1896, O'Galop showed that Michelin tires can take it by personifying a tire about to down a cup of rusty nails and broken bottles, presumably with no ill effects—and for the heading, he mockingly used the venerable Latin phrase, “Let us drink.” Many people apparently believed that “Bibendum” was the figure’s name, and that’s how he’s been known in France for over a century. It’s one of the world’s longest lasting advertising images, and one still enjoying widespread popularity today. The company was started by André and Edouard Michelin in 1892 when they obtained a patent for a pneumatic bicycle tire. Rare! (Art Nouveau; Automobiles; Bicycles)