Swann Auction Galleries' highly anticipated sale of the Julius Paul poster collection saw a Bertold Loffler example sell as top lot in New York.

The Julius Paul collection is one of the finest of its kind

Loffler (1874-1960) studied at the Decorative Arts School in Vienna and later became involved with the Vienna Secession. His poster, entitled Grand Fetes Jubile de L'Empereur, sold for $11,875.

Also selling at the December 18 auction was an Alphonse Mucha poster, Oesterreich auf der Weltausstellung, which made $9,375.

The Julius Paul collection contains some of the finest travel posters, many produced before the first world war. The posters was stolen by the Nazis in 1939 and subsequently sold to the Vienna Albertina Museum before being returned to Mr Paul's heir in 2008.

Paul Fraser Collectibles has some great collectible posters for sale.