Original Item: Only One Available. This is a very nice WWI recruiting poster measuring 26 ¾" × 40 ¾", designed by artist Guy Lipscombe, which calls for British expatriates in the U.S. to enlist in the military. It is a very stirring poster built around the stone lithograph image signed by Guy Lipscombe in the lower left corner. It shows a vibrant and reflective illustration of the Union Jack flag with words BRITISHERS at the top, and ENLIST TO-DAY at the bottom. Beneath this is the address 44 BROMFIELD STREET, an address in Boston, which indicates that this was a poster intended for that area. We have seen other examples with this address, as well some with a New York City address, and others. These posters look to have been printed in the U.S. by THE HEGEMAN PRINT N.Y., seen on most examples we can find.

The design of this poster is also an excellent case study in the evolution of British propaganda throughout WWI.  Early British propaganda emphasized words over images and struggled to effectively capture the persuasive potential of the visual medium. However, this poster by Lipscombe, published in 1917, is a far more balanced and simplified example of war propaganda. There were other versions of the poster as well with various different statements surrounding the poignant lithograph.

The poster still retains the colors well, however it definitely has deteriorated over the years. It is in somewhat delicate condition, especially the fold lines, as it looks to have been unfolded and refolded numerous times, and sometimes in different directions, which has really made those areas delicate. There is also some discoloration of the paper, possibly due to water exposure, and tearing along the edges. This poster definitely should be handled with care.

A lovely example more than ready to be mounted in a frame!

Guy Lipscombe was born in or around London, England in 1893. He was a painter of genre and motoring scenes and was one of the earliest artists specializing in automotive subject matter. In 1903, Lipscombe took charge of the art department of the popular British magazine, “The Motor.” Ultimately, he became a world famous illustrator and his works now hang in every important Automobile Museum in the world. Lipscombe’s genre pictures were quite different from his motoring subjects and it is for his beautiful landscapes that he is better known amongst private collectors. Here, he often employed free and expressive brushwork and used a rather rich colour palette on his often large scaled canvases. His landscapes were painted in association with the St. Ives school of painters and Lipscombe’s observation of the famous Cornish light and passion for ‘plein air’ painting was seen to free his palette. Lipscombe began to exhibit in London from 1908 to 1937 at The Royal Academy, The Royal Institute of Oil Painters, The Abbey Gallery, The Dudley Gallery and The London Salon. He also exhibited at The Walker Gallery in Liverpool. He died sometime after 1937.