Some L.N.E.R. posters ; illustrated catalogue : London & North Eastern Railway : nd [c.1930] : Norwich, The East Coast, Woodhall Spa and Belgium via Harwich

            Many, if not all of the major railways, produced colourful and artisitic posters to 'sell' various destinations and services to the travelling public. Following the creation of the "Big Four" grouped railways in the UK in 1924 one in particular made an early and concious decision to set high standards for their advertising and publicity, including posters. To this end the London & North Eastern Railway had a 'stable' of well known poster artists that they paid an annual retainer to and, alongside this established group, they regularly commissioned other designers and artists to produce pictorial posters.

The other railways were no laggards, although the GWR was probably the most conservative as had been the LMSR in their earlier years when various worthy RA artists produced a series of posters in 'traditional' style. One thing that is interesting during the 1920s is seeing the swing towards more modern style of poster designs and artists working more in an 'abstract' style and of all transport undertakings, arguably, what was to be London Transport took the lead here. That said the LNER were increasingly happy, or more assured, to start to commission more contemporary styles as the work of Tom Purvis here shows.

This small but wonderfully illustrated catalogue is not dated but is unlikely to be later than say 1930 and it shows that the company were enthusiastically selling copies of their posters to the general public; Double Royals for 2/6d, Quad Royals of 5/- with special prices for school purposes of 1/9d and 3/- resepctively. The Underground Group (later London Transport) had a poster sales shop. They show a wonderful range of posters of destinations within the LNER operating territory and Continental destinations available by the company's steamer services from Hull and Harwich. There is even one of the cheeky Herrick posters advertising advertising space! The covers show two small cartouche of an artist at work and of a bill poster at his trade. I wonder if these don't show John Hassall's work?

Four lovely images here; Norwich dominated by the Cathedral seen by Frank Newbould who was one of the LNER 'stable. A fine view of the Forth Rail Bridge by H G Gawthorn showing the bridge soaring over the Firth of Forth linking Edinburgh to Fife and, I suspect, includingt he artist himself! Andrew Johnston illustartes a shady Woodhall Spa in Lincolnshire now a rather forgotten destination and finally, again selling the Harwich services, a poster of Belgium by Fred Taylor RI.

Taken on: August 12, 2023

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Sets appears in: • Some LNER Posters : sales brochure issued by the London & North Eastern Railway, c.1930 • Travel! more » • LNER publicity • Railway publicity • Some old advertising « less

Groups appears in: • Vintage Advertising • That Old Timey Feeling more » • Vintage Advertising Posters • LNER • Old Railway Posters • Vintage Poster Art « less

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