Item:
ONSV21NBU29

Original U.S.WWI Propaganda Poster Lot - 2 Posters - “For Home and Country” and “The Hun - His Mark”

Item Description

Original Items: Only One Group Available. During World War I, the impact of the poster as a means of communication was greater than at any other time during history. The ability of posters to inspire, inform, and persuade combined with vibrant design trends in many of the participating countries to produce thousands of interesting visual works. As a valuable historical research resource, the posters provide multiple points of view for understanding this global conflict. As artistic works, the posters range in style from graphically vibrant works by well-known designers to anonymous broadsides (predominantly text).

The first poster features a color illustration lithograph advertising Victory Liberty loans by Alfred Everitt Orr (1886 - 1938). Features a soldier, in khaki, at the center of a touching family scene. He is embracing his wife and holding his child who are together dressed in red, white and blue. The poster reads:

For Home and Country
VICTORY LIBERTY LOAN

Poster measures 30 x 20 inches, and is offered in fair condition with damage to the edges, corners and along the folds but still has vibrant color. Poster comes unframed.

Alfred Everett Orr. Painter. Born in New York City on Jan 6 1886, he was active in San Gabriel CA during 1918-1925 and then settled in John Singer Sargent's old studio in London.

Second Poster: During WWI, the U.S. government needed money to pay for tanks, ammunition, airplanes, and ships to fight the war. The government found funding through civilians through war bonds, or Liberty Loans. This was a very effective way of getting large amounts of money quickly. The poster encouraged the viewer to purchase a Liberty Loan to support the soldiers and end the war. A bloody hand print is used to signify the mark of Germany. The poster used the symbol as a tool to raise money for the American war effort through the sale of Liberty Bonds. The term "Hun" was used during both World War I and World War II as a derogatory word for a German soldier. It is a reference to the nomadic culture of Eastern Europe and Central Asia who achieved military success under their leader "Attila the Hun" during the 5th Century A.D.

The Committee of Public Information commissioned “The Hun, His Mark,” in 1917. This striking poster was designed by Chicago artist James Allen St. John who was best known, during the early part of the twentieth century, as a fantasy illustrator who worked closely with the Tarzan author Edgar Rice Burroughs to make his novels come to life for readers. In this poster, St. John depicts the bloody handprint that symbolized the attack of the German soldier, or “Hun”.

As the poster states, people were told to buy liberty bonds as a way to directly counteract the German threat that could possibly sweep the United States if not contained. This poster signified a shift toward a more gruesome and personal approach to get people to buy the bonds that funded the American war effort. Fear was used as a tool so that people would have something to think about while their husbands and sons were fighting in Europe. The rampant xenophobia and anti-German immigrant sentiment within the United States at the time also caused many German-Americans to feel compelled to contribute to such campaigns as a way to prove their loyalty.

This genuine 1917 example is offered in fair original condition, exhibiting alot wear, creases, some fading patterns and there is small tears throughout and has clear tape on the back side to keep it held together in some parts. It also measures approximately 30 " x 20" .

Both of these posters are extremely iconic to WWI. They both show signs of being heavily used and displayed throughout the years, but they do still display the message very clearly.

World War I and the Role of the Poster
World War I began as a conflict between the Allies (France, the United Kingdom, and Russia) and the Central Powers (Germany and Austria-Hungary). The assassination of Archduke Francis Ferdinand, the heir to the throne of Austria-Hungary and his wife Sophie ignited the war in 1914. Italy joined the Allies in 1915, followed by the United States in 1917. A ceasefire was declared at 11 AM on November 11, 1918.

The poster was a major tool for broad dissemination of information during the war. Countries on both sides of the conflict distributed posters widely to garner support, urge action, and boost morale. During World War II, a larger quantity of posters were printed, but they were no longer the primary source of information. By that time, posters shared their audience with radio and film.

Even with its late entry into the war, the United States produced more posters than any other country. Taken as a whole, the imagery in American posters is more positive than the relatively somber appearance of the German posters.

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