Original 1983 Monaco Grand Prix Poster "Hors Commerce", Numbered.
Here we have a poster that is one of the original posters that was actually hanging in the Principality of Monaco to advertise the 1983 Monaco Grand Prix.
The poster shows an artist's impression, by Lecomte, of Didier Pironi and Ricardo Patrese battling it out during the, rather dramatic, 1982 edition. The production of the poster was in the hands of the AIP advertising agency from Monte-Carlo.
Each year, the ACM (Automobile Club de Monaco, organizing body of the Monaco Grand Prix) issues a limited number of posters (usually not more than 2.000) and distributes these amongst the hotels, cafés, restaurants and shops of Monte-Carlo with the intention that the shopkeepers etc display the posters to actually advertise the event.
To prevent these posters from being sold before the event, and thus rendering them useless as a publicity tool, these are usually marked with a text and in this case even a serial number!
The 1983 edition carries a text to the right side of the bottom border, where it is marked "EXEMPLAIRE HORS COMMERCE No 01858" which translates into as much as "Non-Commercial Edition Number 01858".
On top of that, this edition is also marked, in red, on the back with the text "EXEMPLAIRE NON DESTINE A LA VENTE".
Naturally, these posters are much more rare than the "normal" event posters which could be bought by the public before and during the race.
This particular one is one of those rare limited edition posters and has seen some use, which is visible in the photo. Given the fact that it was displayed in 1983, it can still be considered to be in excellent condition with no pinholes or significant folds but with the odd knick and some very minor foxing.
The photographs are of the actual poster up for sale here so please judge for yourself.
It measures some 60 x 64 cm or 16 x 25 inches.
The 1983 race was won by Keke Rosberg (Williams), a feat that was repeated by his son Nico Rosberg exactly 30 years later, ahead of Nelson Piquet (Brabham) and Alain Prost (Renault) completing the podium.
The Scuderia had entered a Ferrari 126 for both Rene Arnoux and Patrick Tambay and with them qualifying in second and fourth place respectively, it looked to have the potential of being a very successful race. However, Arnoux retired 6 laps into the race with suspension troubles and Tambay barely managed to consolidate his fourth place.
Only 1 (one) available.
Will be shipped rolled, in a sturdy tube.
