Despite all our resolutions, we seem to have bought some new posters. The only justification I have is that a couple of them are quite interesting – this also being my justification for showing them off on here.
The most straightforward is this Eckersley for London Transport.
It’s very nice, we know who it’s by, thank you very much.
We also know that this 1956 poster is by Edwin Tatum, but that’s about it.
I have no idea who he was – other than that he designed posters for London Transport – and the internet can tell me little more. So if any of you know anything, do tell. I’d also quite like to know who wrote those rather strange limericks for London Transport in the 1950s too.
Incidentally, this is mounted on linen with brass rings set in the corner, something which seems to have been done a while ago. I wonder if this is another way in which posters were mounted at the time, by London Transport, for display.
Less intrinsically mysterious, but interesting because it is rare, is this Christmas poster for Heals.
I can at least tell you that Charles Feeney was Heals’ in-house display manager and designed a lot of their posters. He was clearly very good at it.
Finally, this.
Of course it’s a GPO poster from the 1950s, and of course it’s by Tom Eckersley, but beyond that I am somewhat boggled as I have never, ever seen it in a book or an archive before in my life – not even the BPMA have a copy. So how can it really exist?
I’m rather pleased with that one though, as it’s one of the few posters of this type that has a happy ending. We have this one framed and on the wall already.
But it has to be tucked away in a corner, because Small Crownfolio doesn’t like to see it, as it makes her sad. And I can see where’s she’s coming from with that.