Coughs and Sneezes in the Modern World

Coughs and Sneezes Spread Diseases was of course a classic Second World War phrase, which has continued to be used in government propaganda (or should be say publicity?!) since. Noticed this one on the wall earlier this week, note, no reference to swine flu, which has certainly had extra visitors searching for the phrase!

Keep Calm and McLaren On

My friend Emma went to Silverstone this weekend, and took this picture especially for me! Wonder if this guy had it custom made, of if there’s more of “Keep Calm and McLaren On” around! McLaren, of course, have 2008 F1 champion Lewis Hamilton driving for them, who’s not doing quite so well as fellow Brit Jenson Button is in driving for Brawn, although I believe they’re sorting issues with the car and improving! I used to follow F1 passionately, but found I didn’t really have time for it, and follow from a distance!

Keep Calm and Carry On: Production Numbers

I’ve been talking to the New York Times, as Rob Walker’s Consumed Column will be discussing the Keep Calm and Carry On poster on 12th July (I’ll have a link once I know), and in going through the Fact Checking today, we were talking about the numbers of posters produced. Keep Calm and Carry On was produced alongside ‘Your Courage, Your Cheerfulness, Your Resolution’ and ‘Your Freedom is in Peril: Fight for it Now’. In my thesis, when only the ‘Your Courage’ poster was really known, there was some reference to the ‘Keep Calm’ poster, but it’s only truly come into the public consciousness late 2008 as the recession truly started to bite (although Barter Books had been producing the design for 10 years), although more of the Keep Calm posters were produced than any of the other 2… and I wonder how many of them now exist, as they will now be worth much more than they used to be!

By 23 August the proportions to be printed were decided. The percentages were: ‘Freedom is in Peril’ (for remote areas), 12% ; ‘Keep Calm and Carry on’, 65%; and ‘Your Courage, etc.’, 23%.

Demand for Printing Slip for HMSO, 31/8/39 for MOI. ‘Keep Calm’, ‘Your Courage’ and ‘Freedom is in Peril’, from The National Archives, INF 1/226

Quantity	Description	‘Keep Calm’
1,800	20’ x 10’
2,100	13’4 x 10’
11,000	6’8 x 10’
1,000	6’8 x 5’	Broadside
2,500	60” x 40”	Upright
9,000	60” x 40”	Broadside
875	30” x 40”	Broadside
700	40” x 25”
496,500	30” x 20”
427,600	20” x 15”	Upright
1,486,000	15” x 10”	Upright
8,000	22” x 22”

Quantity	Description	Your Courage…
950	20’ x 10’
1,250	13’4 x 10’
5,600	6’8 x 10’
2,500	6’8 x 5’	Broadside
3,750	60” x 40”	Upright
4,500	60” x 40”	Broadside
375	30” x 40”	Broadside
300	40” x 25”
137,500	30” x 20”
130,000	20” x 15”	Upright
550,000	15” x 10”	Upright

Quantity	Description	Freedom is in Peril
200	20’ x 10’
300	13’4 x 10’
2,500	6’8 x 10’
1,750	6’8 x 5’
3,500	60” x 40”	Upright
66,000	30” x 20”
62,400	20” x 15”	Upright
264,000	15” x 10”	Upright

Coming shortly: Competition

Coming shortly, a competition to win one of 10 copies of Ebury Press’s “Keep Calm and Carry On: Good Advice for Hard Times“

Onslow’s for Vintage Posters

Women of Britain, Come Into the Factories

One day, I would like to get an original of this poster, as the postcard of this that I purchased from the Imperial War Museum  formed the basis of my A-level research project, my degree project, and my PhD. One of the best places to purchase such posters, and they have a great visual catalogue of most of the images that they have sold, is Onslow’s, an auction house specialising in vintage posters (since 1984). See some of their past highlights, including a number of Second World War posters sold for significant sums of money!

Country of Origin	United Kingdom
Date	Probably 1941
Artist	Philip Zec
Printer	Lowe and Brydone, London
Size	29 3/4″ x 19 1/4″
Sources	IWM PST 3645
Other Information	Some catalogues list this as being by Donald Zec, Philip’s brother. Donald Zec has recently completed a biography of Philip Zec’s work, and this poster is definitely by Philip Zec.