Zoo Posters

Sun Wukong

Sun Wukong

Well-Known Member
Hi,

I'm a big fan of zoo posters, especially the ones in "good ol' vintage" style, like Ludwig Hohlwein's "Tierpark Hellabrunn" posters or Zoo posters from Tierpark Friedrichsfelde, Kopenhagen Zoo, Brookfield Zoo etc., but also newer versions like the Prague Zoo posters by Michal Cihlar. Does anyone happen to know where to get the following poster? It's obviously from Chicago's Brookfield Zoo...
naked molerats on Flickr - Photo Sharing!


Which zoo posters of the zoos You know would You recommend?
 
In case it hasn't be mentioned before: probably one of the best spots in the world in terms of zoo posters and other zoo memorabilia (unfortunately, for most Non-German speakers, most books offered there are in German...): The Pavillion of the Fördergemeinschaft von Tierpark und Zoo Berlin e. V. in Tierpark Berlin-Friedrichsfelde, Berlin's second zoo. Opened during the weekend almost all year round, this little shop, close to the dingo exhibit, has a lot to offer-among others, a vast array of different "art deco" zoo posters/prints, old zoo guidebooks and various other items, not just from the Tierpark/Zoo Berlin, but also from other zoos worldwide.
 
A quick announchment:

Over the following weeks, I will post some zoo posters of my collection in this threat.

Maybe this will spark the interest of some forum members in this so far rather neglected field of zoo memorabilia (a circumstance I yet fail to understand) and maybe even lead to a prolific discussion.

Looking forward to read your reactions.
 
Last edited:
Hi Sun, I look forward to seeing some of your collection! I too have a limited number of posters but find it hard to get more! I have one if Berlin tierparks posters with Indian rhino, it really is very nice! Did they have many with unusual species? :)
 
Last edited:
@Al: Both Berlin Zoo and Tiergarten have some poster with rather unusual species. Among others:

-Okapi
-Takin
-Shoebill Stork
-Giant Gourami
-Muskox
-Moose
-Arabian Oryx
-Mandarin Duck
-Bushbaby
-Japanese Macaque
-Greater Bird-of-paradise
-Indian Hornbill
-Guereza
-King Bird-of-paradise
-Andean Cock-of-the-rock
...

And I agree: it's not easy to get good zoo posters these days. Maybe we can exchange some?
 
Last edited:
I love these kind of zoo posters! I saw some nice vintage underground london zoo ones at the london transport musuem, I think they may be on amazon too.

I can't decide whether the naked mole rat one is scary or cool! hahah
 
@ Sun I wish had enough that I could swap but I'm afraid they are rather limited! Looking forward to seeing some of your pics! I would love one of the nakedmolerats! Did you have any luck getting one!?
 
Out of stock unfortunately. I have missed out there :mad:

(thanks for the tip off anyway KarenZOO :))
 
This is a great book:

[ame=http://www.amazon.co.uk/Underground-Zoo-Transport-Posters-Present/dp/0289801338/ref=sr_1_3?ie=UTF8&qid=1297021903&sr=8-3]By Underground to the Zoo: London Transport Posters 1913 to the Present: Amazon.co.uk: Jonathan Riddell, Peter Denton: Books[/ame]

It's currently out-of-print, but plenty of second hand copies are around. I think it has every London Zoo poster produced for the underground. It doesn't feature the zoo's own posters, and therefore misses out on the excruciating "We Need Our Rhinos To Get Horny" campaign.

An even better book is the fantastic Noah's Art from, I guess, about 15 years ago. I can't find any copies online anywhere, but it's really worth looking out for. It focuses on all designed material from zoos, not just posters. Really worth hunting down.
 
Here in America there is a very disturbing trend. It applies to both postcards and posters. Most zoos are buying generic ones from a nationwide distributor (Impact) that just stamps their name on it. Even San Diego is doing this now, which is shocking because they have an outstanding full-time staff photographer and certainly have the budget to produce their own materials (and a huge gift shop that is always busy).

Some posters and postcards even have these huge endless savannas showing giraffes or other animals in the wild, and then they stamp a zoo name on it? Who do they think they're kidding?
 
@Arizona Docent: The same is happening worldwide.

First poster:

Arabian oryx
Tierpark Berlin, 1984
Original
 

Attachments

  • P1060355.JPG
    P1060355.JPG
    2.3 MB · Views: 15
Leopards
Tierpark Hellabrunn, Munich

By Ludwig Hohlwein (original 1912)
Reprint

Probably one of the most iconic zoo posters worldwide.
Reprints can be bought at the zoo gift shops for a low price (3-4 €/ piece).
 

Attachments

  • P1060357.JPG
    P1060357.JPG
    2 MB · Views: 12
I like very much these posters, they are simple but impressive, thanks for posting !
 
Arizona Docent said:
Some posters and postcards even have these huge endless savannas showing giraffes or other animals in the wild, and then they stamp a zoo name on it? Who do they think they're kidding?
Click to expand...

Knoxville Zoo is one that does that, I've noticed.

I have several times seen the same postcard used for two different zoos- I often wonder which one the photo was actually taken in- sometimes its somewhere different altogether.

My favourite era for postcards is 1950- 1980's. Nowadays they have become very bland and most places usually omit any sign of enclosures in the backgrounds.

A favourite poster of mine used to be the Basel Zoo one of Gorilla mother and offspring 'Jambo' born in 1961.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top