WW1 / WW2 / 20th Century

A Superb, Large, Soviet Russian Cold War Period Issue Propaganda Poster

Showing photos of famous figures and events in the Russian revolutionary communist party. Vintage or antique Russian posters, in fact all forms of posters, are now becoming extraordinarily collectable. Their original purpose of being entirely transitory and disposable means so few original examples now exist, and can now only be usually seen in museum archive displays. Another poster for the Battleship Potemkin Russian movie, designed by the Stenberg brothers in 1925, sold in November 2012 for 103,250 Pounds Sterling at Christies Auction in London. It arranged class elements into a powerful design of revolutionary upheaval. As with any art form the value of a poster is somewhat dependent on the artist who created it. For example, the Frenchman, Chenet’s work is very sought after, however other artists' work can be even more desirable. Henri deToulouse-Lautrec is well known for his images of the Parisian night-life. His posters are filled with images of showgirls, bright colours, and stylized fonts. The auction record for an art poster is held by his Moulin Rouge, which sold for an amazing $241,500.00 in 1999. Slight staining, creases and small tears mostly bottom left, mounting circular holes to the top section. 57 cm x 86cm.
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Code: 23849

Original WW2 Volunteer Recruitment Poster. 'Lend A Hand On The Land'

A very fine propaganda recruitment poster for the Land Army. Britain re-created the World War I Ministry of Information for the duration of World War II to generate propaganda to influence the population towards support for the war effort. A wide range of media was employed aimed at local and overseas audiences. Traditional forms such as newspapers and posters were joined by new media including cinema (film), newsreels and radio. A wide range of themes were addressed, fostering hostility to the enemy, support for allies, and specific pro war projects such as conserving metal and growing vegetables. In 1940 in particular, Winston Churchill made many calls for the British to fight on, and for British units to fight until they died rather than submit. His calls for fight to victory inspired a hardening of public opinion. Determination raised the numbers of the Home Guard and inspired a willingness to fight to the last ditch, in a manner rather similar to Japanese determination, and the slogan "You can always take one with you" was used in the grimmest times of the war. British victories were announced to the public for morale purposes, and broadcast to Germany for purposes of undermining morale.

Even during Dunkirk, an optimistic spin was put on how the soldiers were eager to return.

When the U-boat commander Gunther Prien vanished with his submarine U-47, Churchill personally informed the House of Commons, and radio broadcasts to Germany asked, "Where is Prien?" until Germany was forced to acknowledge his loss.
The turn of the war made BBC's war commentaries much more stirring.

We never normally comment of the investment potential of any collectable, but the potential for all underpriced WW1 and WW2 posters must be incredible, for example the more famed poster, 'Keep Calm and Carry On' can now sell for over £20,000. This poster is "14.75 x 19.5 inches  read more

Code: 20933

WW2 Advertising Poster for The National Gallery 'War Pictures'

Printed for H.M.Stationary Office by Hubners Ltd. On their way to the Myra Hess concerts in October 1939, visitors to the National Gallery couldn't help noticing the forlorn bare walls where the paintings had been before the war.

Art under fire

Before long, a series of temporary exhibitions was organised a rarity for museums and galleries at the time. There were also rolling displays of contemporary war art organised by the WAAC (War Artists Advisory Committee) that Kenneth Clark had helped set up at the outset of war. The temporary exhibitions spanned a large variety of subjects, ranging from Nineteenth Century French Paintings? and British Painting since Whistler to War Pictures By British Artists and Greater London: Towards a Master Plan.

These exhibitions were often disrupted by the damage inflicted by the nightly bombing raids during the Blitz. This didn't affect the large number of visitors attending. In fact there was much debate as to whether visitors should be asked to leave during the many air-raid warnings that occurred each day. By 1942 the bombing raids had lessened. It was now felt that one painting could be brought up to London from Manod every month. It was put on show in splendid isolation with some accompanying documentary material.

Every night the work was removed from display and stored in the underground strong room for safety. The arrival of each painting was a news event. The picture of the month scheme exists in the Gallery to this day.


Posters are a true form of art with a purpose as they were designed to deliver a particular message through striking designs. These original vintage posters were created to grab the attention of passers-by, presenting artists with the challenge of condensing the message or a concept into a precise, short visual and written form in a single artwork. They are important items of social history that capture the essence of the time they were printed. Original vintage posters are recognised as a sound art investment that can be enjoyed every day. 25 x 18.5 inches  read more

Code: 20770

An Original WW2 British Special Constabulary Recruitment Poster

Published for HMG by Fosh and Cross Ltd London. A propaganda information and recruitment poster. The size as were used in the underground trains advertising panels, or the back of black cabs. Britain re-created the World War I Ministry of Information for the duration of World War II to generate propaganda to influence the population towards support for the war effort. A wide range of media was employed aimed at local and overseas audiences. Traditional forms such as newspapers and posters were joined by new media including cinema (film), newsreels and radio. A wide range of themes were addressed, fostering hostility to the enemy, support for allies, and specific pro war projects such as conserving metal and growing vegetables. In 1940 in particular, Winston Churchill made many calls for the British to fight on, and for British units to fight until they died rather than submit. His calls for fight to victory inspired a hardening of public opinion. Determination raised the numbers of the Home Guard and inspired a willingness to fight to the last ditch, in a manner rather similar to Japanese determination, and the slogan "You can always take one with you" was used in the grimmest times of the war. British victories were announced to the public for morale purposes, and broadcast to Germany for purposes of undermining morale.

Even during Dunkirk, an optimistic spin was put on how the soldiers were eager to return.

When the U-boat commander Gunther Prien vanished with his submarine U-47, Churchill personally informed the House of Commons, and radio broadcasts to Germany asked, "Where is Prien?" until Germany was forced to acknowledge his loss.

The turn of the war made BBC's war commentaries much more stirring.

We never normally comment on the investment potential of any collectable, but the potential for all underpriced WW1 and WW2 posters must be incredible, for example the more famed poster, 'Keep Calm and Carry On' can now sell for over £20,000.

Good condition 14.5 inches x 9.5 inches  read more

Code: 20872

A Rare Karl Goetz Silver Zeppelin World Circumnavigation Medal of 1929

A Rare Karl Goetz Zeppelin Medal. Silver medal of 1929, for circumnavigation of the world, in the airship LZ 127. Half-length portrait of the air pioneer and airship leader Hugo Eckener. Aircraft and flying eagle in front of globe, around the globe a band with star signs. With a punch: BAYER. MAIN COIN OFFICE ? FINE SILVER. 59.98 mm; 54.37 g. Matt finish, very pretty patina, small edge error, almost uncirculated  read more

Code: 22347

A Unique 'Sealed Pattern' Cap Badge of the Fusilier Brigade 16.9 1966

Inspectorate of Stores and Clothing . Since the early XVIII Century, it was common practice for all European armies to approve items of clothing and accoutrements for each regiment in a formal session of the appropriate War Office `Dress Committee`.
At these sessions, an example of each item would be deposited with the Committee, signed, sealed and certified as being the `Sealed Pattern`, against which all items worn in future would be compared. At future inspections of each regiment, any item showing variations from the norm would be amended or scrapped. since the start of the eighteenth century a band of officers of the British Army (or other responsible persons) has approved the quality and finish of all items of military clothing, it was then sealed with the wax of the Board of Ordnance or other Government seal to be recognised as the standard to be kept by the manufacturers. There is valuable evidence to be seen on these patterns because they also carry the date of approval and obsolescence of each item. Unfortunately, that system has not proved to be infallible. In 1841, all sealed patterns accumulated since the beginning of the eighteenth century, were destroyed in a fire at the Tower of London. No secondary store existed and thus all patterns encompassing Marlborough?s campaigns, the Seven Years War, the American War of Independence and the Napoleonic Wars were lost.  read more

Code: 21683

A Rare and Original British WW2 'Concealment' Instructional Poster for The Camouflage Officer

Original British Army poster. With four fold creases and a little staining. 19 inches x 24 inches  read more

Code: 21274

ERII Drum of the Royal Monmouthsire Royal Engineers Regiment.

An ERII, post 1954 drum of a Welsh Royal Engineers regiment. The Royal Monmouthshire. Top skin needs replacing. A most attractive piece of British Military History. The Royal Monmouthshire Royal Engineers (Militia) (R MON RE(M)) is the most senior regiment in the British Army Reserve, having given continuous loyal service to the crown since 1539. It is part of the reserve forces, and is the only remaining Militia unit in the British Army. The regiment is also unusual in having the word Royal appear twice in its name. It gained the first "Royal" in 1804 when it was known as the Monmouth and Brecon Militia. The second was acquired in 1877 when the regiment transferred from an infantry unit into a Special Reserve section of the expanding Royal Engineers. The top skin in split and would need replacing if it was required to be used as a drum once more.  read more

Code: 21515

A Beautiful Antique Royal Vienna Porcelain Cabinet Plate By Griener

Hand painted by one of the finest artists of Royal Vienna, and signed Griener. A portrait bust of Count Graf von Zeppelin. With gold reflief border. Pre WW1 early 20th Century. Royal Vienna mark in underglazed blue. Gilding of the finest quality 99% good or better condition. The great inventor of the amazing Zeppelin Airships that eventually spanned the globe. DELAG German: Deutsche Luftschiffahrts-Aktiengesellschaft was founded on 16 November 1909 as a subsidiary of the Luftschiffbau Zeppelin Corporation to commercialize airship travel. It became the world's first passenger airline in revenue service with the launch of LZ 7 Deutschland in 1910. While DELAG's initial flights were primarily sightseeing tours, by 1919 it was operating a regular schedule between Berlin and Friedrichshafen with a stop at Munich. Between 1910 and the outbreak of World War I DELAG transported over 34,028 passengers on 1,588 commercial flights.

The first DZR (1935?1940)
The creation of the DZR as successor to DELAG occurred for both political and business reasons. Luftschiffbau Zeppelin (LZ) chairman Hugo Eckener, who had intended to run against Hitler in the 1932 presidential election, was already disliked by the Nazis. When Eckener later resisted the new Nazi government's efforts to use zeppelins for propaganda purposes, Reich Minister of Aviation Hermann G?ring insisted that a new agency be created to extend Party control over LZ Group. A personal rivalry between G?ring and Propaganda Minister Joseph Goebbels also played a role. To complicate matters further, the Luftschiffbau was a loss-making concern and needed cash investment, in particular to complete construction of the Hindenburg.

Deutsche Zeppelin-Reederei was therefore incorporated on 22 March 1935 as a joint venture between Zeppelin Luftschiffbau, the Ministry of Aviation, and Deutsche Luft Hansa. The LZ Group's capital contribution came primarily from its two airships LZ 127 Graf Zeppelin and LZ 129 Hindenburg, the latter of which was not yet complete on the date of incorporation. Nearly all of the rest was an infusion of cash by the Air Ministry and DLH. In exchange for this, the DZR agreed to ownership apportioned as follows:  read more

Code: 22279

A Super British Military Surgeon's Campaign Set, In Nickel Plated Cylinder

With numerous tools, scissors clamps etc., and cases for needles and blades, for principally bullet and shrapnel extractions. One instrument lacking. Superbly engineered, and a beautiful quality piece. Maker marked by Brown of Leicester. It appears that the case may be designed to be pressure boil sterilized in the field of combat, with a pressure release type system built into the lid. The significance of military medicine for combat strength goes far beyond treatment of battlefield injuries; in every major war fought until the late 19th century disease claimed more soldier casualties than did enemy action. During the American Civil War (1860?65), for example, about twice as many soldiers died of disease as were killed or mortally wounded in combat. The Franco-Prussian War (1870?71) is considered to have been the first conflict in which combat injury exceeded disease, at least in the German coalition army which lost 3.47% of its average headcount to combat and only 1.82% to disease. In new world countries, such as Australia, New Zealand, the United States and Canada, military physicians and surgeons contributed significantly to the development of civilian health care.

Improvements in military medicine have increased the survival rates in successive wars, due to improvements in medical evacuation, battlefield medicine and trauma care. Similar improvements have been seen in the trauma practices during the Iraq war. Some military trauma care practices are disseminated by citizen soldiers who return to civilian practice. One such practice is where major trauma patients are transferred to an operating theater as soon as possible, to stop internal bleeding, increasing the survival rate. Within the United States, the survival rate for gunshot wounds has increased, leading to apparent declines in the gun death rate in states that have stable rates of gunshot hospitalizations  read more

Code: 22685