A few years ago, David Armstrong (of Armstrong’s Gallery, one of the major Cybis retailers during the boom years) sent me some Cybis press photos and marketing literature from the 1970s and early 1980s. One of the most interesting was the instruction sheet that the studio sent to the retail galleries who wanted to host a Cybis event during the upcoming year. It offers a fascinating look into the behind-the-scenes details that went into these events, and also into how the studio itself viewed them (and their retailers), so I am transcribing it here in full. It fills two pages of standard 8.5”x11” paper and is headed EXHIBIT REQUIREMENTS.
Cybis Studio Retailer Event Requirements, circa 1984
“Exhibit Hours
From past experience, we have learned it is best to have the promotion last no longer than three hours. There is a tendency for the guests to remain and socialize and while we agree this is an essential part of the promotion, it may detract from sales.
Unless otherwise agreed upon, a director of Cybis will not be in the gallery to meet collectors other than the time specified on the invitations. We wish we were able to appear in the gallery the day following the promotion, but often times this conflicts with our travel schedule. Should you wish your Cybis representative to be in attendance the following day, please make arrangements directly with him and advise us in writing of your plans.
Theme and Displays
Many galleries choose to feature one of the sculptures from the newest collection upon which to build a theme. Invitations and advertising should feature the sculpture highlighted. Cybis will be more than happy to assist you in any way possible with your in-store displays; please contact your Cybis representative.
Advertising
Advertising is essential to the success of our joint exhibit. We will require at least one newspaper ad one week prior to the exhibit. Incorporating in the ad the line – write or call for your Cybis invitation – this will assist you in securing new collectors and at the same time eliminate those people you don’t want to attend by simply saying that no more invitations are available.
Sales Meeting
It is essential that we spend some time with your sales people prior to the exhibit. We would like to explain the techniques involved in creating porcelain sculptures, the history of the Cybis Studio and introduce our newest collection. We would also like to take a few minutes to discuss some of the older sculptures to refresh memories about their unique aspects. Of utmost importance is the viewing of our film ‘PORCELAINS THAT FIRE THE IMAGINATION’ by your sales staff. We will supply the film and projector for this meeting and will be happy to answer questions from your staff. Time of the sales meeting must be confirmed prior to Cybis personnel arriving at the exhibit, as we want to spend as much time as necessary with your staff.
[My note: That film is viewable here in the Archive inside this post.]
Publicity
Anne Sears will be in touch with you requesting assistance in arranging publicity. We request your help in forwarding the names of television and radio programs in your area as well as any contacts you may have. Anne will also assist in arranging newspaper interviews. Our sales staff is available to conduct a lyceum program in a collector’s home or club. This consists of a lecture, film and conversation with your collectors. Please contact Anne Sears for personnel commitments and additional information.
Inventory and New Orders
To insure [sic] the success of the exhibit it is necessary for us to receive your inventory eight weeks in advance of your exhibit. This will enable us to plan television and special promotions. At that time we will also coordinate with you those sculptures which are needed for the success of the exhibit. Obviously, both of us would want the newest sculptures on hand. Any order required must be in Trenton eight weeks before your exhibit to allow us sufficient time to create the sculptures. If this is not done, we will be forced to send a letter of cancellation for the exhibit.
Date Selection
The date of the exhibit must be cleared through Cybis to be certain personnel is available. Cybis must be the only feature during this exhibit. We will also ask there be no other porcelain promotions scheduled prior to Cybis.
Invitations
Formal invitations are to be sent out to your established collectors, potential collectors and good collectors at least four weeks in advance of the exhibit with a specific RSVP enclosure. If possible, Cybis would like fifty invitations to send to collectors in your area, from our confidential listings.
REVIEW
- Date cleared through Cybis
- Order of new collection and inventory eight weeks in advance
- Invitations four weeks in advance
- These specific deadlines must be met for Cybis to provide you with your needs and to insure [sic] a successful promotion
Unfortunately, Cybis cannot complete the creation of required sculptures if time deadlines are not met. We regret a cancellation of the exhibit will occur if deadlines are not adhered to.”
Below the final paragraph is a row of dashes meant to be cut so that the signature area below can be filled out by the retailer and sent back to Cybis. The fields to be filled in are Gallery name, Exhibit Date, Title (of the person signing this, I assume!), Signature, and Signature Date.
A separate letter sent from the Sales/Exhibit Coordinator at Cybis to the Buyer at Armstrong’s gallery, also in 1984, reads in part:
We are all looking forward to the Armstrong’s/Cybis promotion to be held April 7, 1984. I have included a photograph and biography of [Cybis artist] Pat Applegate. Pat will need a card table, chair, table cloth, lamp, and a small bouquet of flowers for her table during her painting demonstration. We use cool fluorescent lamps here at the studio.
Enclosed please find black and white glossies of the following sculptures you requested: Pueblo Eagle Dancer, Madame Butterfly, Othello, Carousel Charger, Kitty Fisher, Figure Skater, Polar Bear Woolie, 1984 Egg and the Large and Small Ginger Jars.
I am puzzled by the studio’s reference to two sizes of the Ginger Jar, however. I am only aware of a single size, although there were two different surface designs (the Rose Ginger Jar and Virginia Bluebells Ginger Jar, during the mid 1980s.) I wonder if the smaller jar might have been a downsized event piece? Unfortunately, I have neither a price list nor brochure from Spring 1984 and so cannot check the entries for the jars that the studio mentions in this letter. The only actual sizes of either jar that I have been able to find via internet searches are approximately 5″ (rose) and 6″ (bluebells.) The photos above are not to scale.
Armstrong’s used the stock photos to create their own price list and event brochure. And speaking of those….
Dealer-Created Event Materials
Armstrong’s was fond of creating their own Cybis-event materials and price lists for their customers and liked to include photos, which the Cybis price lists did not have. Shown below is the flyer that Armstrongs created for their 1975 event.
Coincidentally, the blue Pandora seen in the flyer is the same one that we bought at the autumn 1975 Cybis introductions event at Brielle Galleries! It was the first dealer-event edition that I purchased. Brielle, too, claimed that only 100 of that piece were available.
And here are some images of Armstrong’s combined price list/teaser flyer for the Spring 1983 event:
That year’s Retailer Event Edition (‘April’, which also happened to be the month in which their event was held) was represented there by a line drawing rather than a photograph.
Although many Cybis retailers went ‘all out’ for their semi-annual Cybis events – or at least as much as their budget would allow – the two big players in that space were definitely Armstrong’s and Ira Jacobson’s Brielle Galleries. Truly an East Coast-West Coast rivalry! I never had the chance to attend an Armstrong’s event, but we went to quite a few at Brielle and there is only one word to describe them: Epic. Let’s just say that I have been to some weddings that were less lavish than a typical Brielle Galleries Cybis event , and this is coming from someone who lives in a part of the USA where weddings have always been regarded as a Very Big Deal. 😊 Good times!
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