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University of Missouri

Poster Collection

Title

Poster Collection

Description

Scope and Contents

The collection consists of posters from both World War I and World War II with a few tourist and other miscellaneous posters from the same periods. More than half of the posters are from countries other than the United States. French posters predominate, but there are also World War I and II posters from Belgium, Canada, England, and Italy, plus World War I posters from Germany and World War II posters from Czechoslovakia, Mexico, New Zealand, Norway, and Yugoslavia. Additionally, the collection contains broadsides, banners, pamphlets, and ephemera.

The U.S. World War I posters promote recruitment, savings stamp and bond drives, patriotism, and conservation. There are also a few anti-war posters in the collection. Artists represented include James Montgomery Flagg, Howard Chandler Christy, Edward Penfield, Frank Brangwyn, Windsor McCay, and Joseph Pennell.

The U.S. World War II posters deal with similar themes. A significant number portray the work of women in the war effort. Prominent artists of these posters are John Steuart Curry, Norman Rockwell, Dean Cornwell, and Thomas Hart Benton.

Holdings: 1479 posters

Access

The collection is available to all researchers. Request materials for use in the Special Collections reading room. Advance notice may be required to prepare oversized materials. 

Catalog records for most of the collection can be viewed under the following headings:

A selection of posters is available in the University of Missouri Digital Library.

Provenance

The origin of the collection is not clear. World War II posters appear to have been acquired as issued by the federal government, 1941-1945. Posters from countries other than the United States may also have been distributed from the same source.

The World War I posters, the travel posters and the other miscellaneous posters were acquired in 1947, but whether by gift or purchase cannot be ascertained.

Relation

Many of the Word War I posters are duplicates of materials held in the Library of Congress and can be viewed online in the Library of Congress World War I Posters Collection. Similarly, many other posters are held in libraries and can be accessed through the Digital Public Library of America.

Collection Tree

Featured Items

Sauvons les bébés par l'allaitement maternel [graphic] / [dessin de] R. Stéphany.

Follow the flag : enlist in the Navy / J. Daugherty ; composition, H.R.

Pour la liberté du monde [graphic] : souscrivez à l'emprunt national à la Banque Nationale de Crédit / Sem.

"They shall not perish" [graphic] : campaign for $30,000,000 : American Committee for Relief in the Near East : Armenia, Greece, Syria, Persia / Douglas Volk.

Lest we perish [graphic] : Campaign for $30,000,000 ; American Committee for Relief in the Near East ; Armenia - Greece - Syria - Persia ; One Madison Ave., New York, Cleveland H. Dodge, Treasurer / E.F. Betts Bains.

Lest they perish [graphic] : Campaign for $30,000,000 : American Committee for Relief in the Near East, Armenia, Greece, Syraia, Persia / W.G. King.

"The child at your door" [graphic] : 400,000 orphans starving, no state aid available--Campaign for $30,000,000.

Valencia : jardin de España / Renau.

Newquay in the Cornish Riviera / L.H. Coller.

Germany wants to see you! / Ludwig Hohlwein.

The largest ship in the world : S.S. Leviathan : United States Lines : managing operators for United States Shipping Board.

The Rhine / Ludwig Hohlwein.

Asia via Honolulu, from San Francisco to the Orient : 5 great sister ships.

Second patriotic food show. A harvest festival, Coliseum, Nov. 25 to Dec. 1, under the direction of United States Food Administration [graphic] : interesting, educational and instructive exhibits and demonstrations of the new food program; countless feature attractions. Admission 25c. It's y-o-u-r patriotic duty to attend.

For active service, join the U.S. Marines [graphic] / Sidney K. Riesenberg.

Free war exhibit [graphic] : commemorating the first anniversary of the declaration of war by the United States.

U.S. Marines, active service on land and sea / Sidney H. Riesenberg.

Vente de charité aux profit des soldats au front et des prisonniers pupilles de l'assistance publique / Société de bienfaisance "Pour nos frères."

Banque française pour le commerce et l'industrie [graphic] : souscrivez à l'emprunt de la libération et la victoire est à nous / William Malherbe.

Banque Privée [graphic] : souscrivez à l'emprunt de la reconstitution / A. Lelong

Exposition des dons américains . . [graphic].

Emprunt national 1920 [graphic] : prêtez a la France pour qu'elle grandisse dans le rayonnement de la paix / au Comptoir National d'Escompte de Paris ; [ill.] O.N.

No days are bookless days! [graphic] : Poughkeepsie asks you to do your part and part with your books for our boys / F. R. Booth 1918

Browse Featured Items in the Poster Collection