Finding Value In World War II Military Posters
By Eric H. Roth

Military posters played a critical role in motivating Americans to do their best and make sacrifices, of all kinds, during World War II. The War Department, the Red Cross, General Electric, the Stetson Hat Company, and dozens of other organizations created thousands of patriotic posters to mobilize public support. Poignant, colorful images on paper were created and distributed to build support for revenging Pearl Harbor, protecting American families, selling war bonds, conserving fuel, increasing factory production, promoting democratic ideals, growing vegetables, expanding the workforce and keeping secrets.

The propaganda war, before television and the Internet, looked - and maybe worked - best on posters. Wartime posters, often printed in runs of 10,000, were designed to be used once, understood in 20 seconds, displayed for a few months, and thrown away. The few remaining posters, often created by skilled artists and illustrators, have become historical artifacts. Museums, scholars, collectors, veterans, - and increasingly baby boomers - celebrating these wartime images for their sociological, aesthetic, and historical value. World War II posters have become hot commodities and very collectible items.

"The Posters That Won the War", a cyber exhibition at by the Chisholm-Larsson gallery tells the story and highlights 50 WWII original posters. "The production, recruiting, and War Bond Posters of WWII were 'America's weapons on the wall.' Millions of posters of hundreds of unique designs cascaded off the presses and unto the American landscape, raising hopes in the dark days after Pearl Harbor and convincing folks on the homefront that their efforts were the key to victory. Today, the relatively few posters that remain are a colorful, nostalgic, and highly collectible snapshot of America at war.

" Robert Chisholm, the owner of Chisholm-Larsson gallery in New York City, counts 627 different original WWII posters in his huge collection of 24,000 plus posters. "Whatever your budget- from only $150 or if you have $600, you can find a WWII poster," said Chisholm. "Ninety percent are $400 or less." Forbes Magazine gave the impressive website its "Best of the Web" designation noting visitors can find "World War II-era political posters by Ben Shahn ($600-$1800). The Chisholm-Larsson Gallery boasts "the largest collection of individual posters outside of institutional collections."

The gold standard for collectors WWII vintage posters, however, remains the Meehan Military Posters catalog. "The only organization in the world," according to the company's literature, "devoted to providing original, vintage posters of the two World Wars and Spanish Civil War to collectors, museums, decorators, and investors." Meehan Military Posters, divides WWII posters into ten distinct categories: pilots/planes; recruitment; conservation; espionage; nurses; foreign aid; war production; morale; and foreign on its searchable website.

Each color catalog, published twice a year, contains thumbnail size reproductions of hundreds of original military posters from "nearly all combatants in both World Wars." A concise description describes the background of each poster, noting the artist, year of publication, size, condition, and price. The catalog costs $15, but many collectors and dealers consider it an essential investment. "His prices are very good," observed a West Coast competitor, Burt Blum, owner of the Trading Post in Santa Monica and lifelong dealer in vintage magazines and posters. "He (Meehan) must have excellent stock. Those prices are very fair."

Fair should not be confused with cheap. "Today an expensive WWII poster can command as much as $4,000 or $5,000," declared Meehan. "A German poster designed and drawn by the great German poster artist Ludwid Hohlwein could easily be in that range." Meehan catalog, #36, features many rare, expensive, and fascinating wartime posters. A pair of posters, designed by Melbourne Brindle, graces the front and back covers. The first haunting image shows a sinking ship, printed by Stetson Hats Company. It warns: "Loose Talk Can Cost Lives!... Keep it under your STETSON." The second dramatic poster of a sunken Merchant Marine ship beneath a German U-Boat, with the words "Careless Talk did this... Keep it under Your Stetson" sells for $2750.

The pricey Stetson poster illuminates a common theme of many World War II posters: the dangers of espionage and careless talk. "Silence - means security. Be careful what you say or write", by illustrator Jes Wilhelm Schlaikjer, in 1945 shows a night patrol infantryman walking in the Pacific. The Meehan catalog sells it for $325. Other military posters, more available and by less well-known artists, such as 1943 "This Many May Die if you talk too much", featuring a handsome sailor looking through a porthole, and the 1944 "We Caught Hell! - someone must have talked" sell for $145 in the poster catalog. These poignant posters place clear responsibility for the safety of sailors and soldiers on the silence of civilians and fellow servicemen. The vast majority of Meehan poster sales continue to be American WW II posters that sell for under $400.

Almost the entire 'Loose lips sink ships' poster series has become quite collectible. An excellent example, according to veteran poster dealer Gail Chisholm, shows a hissing snake surrounded by the words 'Less Dangerous Than Careless Talk" which she sells for $330. The easy-to-use Chisholm Gallery website, includes a wide selection of World War II posters. "There are also a lot of great and amusing posters against Careless Talk," such as "Keep Mum, She's Not So Dumb," observed Robert Chisholm, Gail's brother, neighbor, and friendly rival poster gallery owner.

"Powers of Persuasion: Poster Art of World War II", a popular exhibit at the National Archives Building in Washington D.C. from May 1994 to February 1995, emphasized the two psychological approaches used to motivate Americans: pride and fear. "Words are ammunition," said a Government Information Manual issued by the Office of War Information in the exhibit. "Each word an American utters either helps or hurts the war effort. He must stop rumors. He must challenge the cynic and the appeaser. He must not speak recklessly. He must remember that the enemy is listening." An online exhibit culled from the museum show, features 33 posters, 1 sound file, and some background historical information.

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