Snapshots of the Past

The navy wants men / W.H. Smith & Son, Printers, 55 Fetter Lane, London, E.C. – Historic Reproduction

The navy wants men / W.H. Smith & Son, Printers, 55 Fetter Lane, London, E.C., [S.l.] : Admiralty Recruiting Department, [1915] — vintage poster
The navy wants men / W.H. Smith & Son, Printers, 55 Fetter Lane, London, E.C., [S.l.] : Admiralty Recruiting Department, [1915]. Vintage poster from the World War I collection.

(Originally scanned by the Library of Congress. Each image is professionally and digitally cleaned of artifacts such as color bars and extra borders prior to printing.)

Description

This rare vintage poster captures The navy wants men / W.H. Smith & Son, Printers, 55 Fetter Lane, London, E.C. in remarkable detail. Sourced directly from the Library of Congress, it represents an authentic piece of documented history.

The framed print arrives ready to hang; the unframed option suits custom framing. A conversation-starting piece for home, office, or as a meaningful gift. Free shipping in the lower 48 states. Snapshots of the Past has been bringing history to the wall since 2001, for tens of thousands of customers worldwide.

The navy wants men / W.H. Smith & Son, Printers, 55 Fetter Lane, London, E.C.

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Blunt and direct, the words "The navy wants men" make up the whole message of this London color lithograph, issued by the Admiralty Recruiting Department and printed by W.H. Smith & Son on Fetter Lane. Its date is given as 1915, when Britain's war effort was drawing heavily on volunteers, and the Royal Navy, though already the largest fleet in the world, still needed men to crew its ships and staff its shore establishments. Recruiting posters like this were pasted on hoardings and station walls across the country, relying on patriotism and the appeal of a sailor's life rather than detailed argument. Their bold color and plain lettering were meant to be taken in at a glance by passersby.

Created / published[S.l.] : Admiralty Recruiting Department, [1915]
Medium1 print (poster) : lithograph, color ; 76 x 50 cm.
GenreWar posters British 1910-1920.Lithographs Color 1910-1920.
NotesTitle from item.
SubjectsWorld War, 1914-1918--Recruiting & enlistment--Great Britain. Sailors--British--1910-1920. Navies--British--1910-1920.
SourceLibrary of Congress, Prints and Photographs Division
Original scan4,126 × 5,135 px · prints to 14 × 17 in at 300 dpi
Reference1566_The_navy_wants_men_WH_1915

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