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Address your letters correctly

Poster
October 1944 - November 1944 (made)
Artist/Maker
Place of origin

World War II poster encouraging the public to address letters correctly and clearly. The image is of a stamped and franked envelope, upon which are the words 'Address', with a rectangular red outline around it, and 'your letters correctly'. To the left of the envelope is a red arrow with the number '1' on it. The envelope casts a shadow, upon which are the words, '- and clearly and completely', and to the left is a red arrow with the number '2' on it. The background is in shades of blue and grey, and suggests an empty landscape, and to the right of the image is a red GPO post box, smaller in scale, as if in the distance, and also casting a black shadow. The stamp is worth 2 and a half old pence, and the monarch depicted is george VI (in profile and silhouette). The artist has signed himself 'Eckersley .44' along the edge of the envelope's shadow.

Note: At some point the poster has been folded vertically along the centre, and the left side of the poster is imprinted with a 'ghost' of the image from the right-hand side.


Object details

Categories
Object type
TitleAddress your letters correctly (generic title)
Materials and techniques
Colour lithograph
Brief description
'Address your letters correctly', World War II poster for the GPO, designed by Tom Eckersley for the HMSO, United Kingdom (London), 1944
Physical description
World War II poster encouraging the public to address letters correctly and clearly. The image is of a stamped and franked envelope, upon which are the words 'Address', with a rectangular red outline around it, and 'your letters correctly'. To the left of the envelope is a red arrow with the number '1' on it. The envelope casts a shadow, upon which are the words, '- and clearly and completely', and to the left is a red arrow with the number '2' on it. The background is in shades of blue and grey, and suggests an empty landscape, and to the right of the image is a red GPO post box, smaller in scale, as if in the distance, and also casting a black shadow. The stamp is worth 2 and a half old pence, and the monarch depicted is george VI (in profile and silhouette). The artist has signed himself 'Eckersley .44' along the edge of the envelope's shadow.

Note: At some point the poster has been folded vertically along the centre, and the left side of the poster is imprinted with a 'ghost' of the image from the right-hand side.
Dimensions
  • Height: 73.3cm
  • Width: 91.6cm
Marks and inscriptions
  • 'ADDRESS YOUR LETTERS / CAREFULLY' (Printed on the 'envelope' in black letters. The first word is enclosed by a red rectangular outline)
  • '- AND CLEARLY AND / COMPLETELY' (On the envelope's shadow, the first two words printed in black, the last tow in shaded red)
  • 'GPO' (Lower left corner, printed in black, the logo of the General Post Office during the War, the letters, with a crown above, within a circle)
  • 'Eckersley .44' (Artist's name and date, printed in black along the edge of the envelope's 'shadow')
  • 'PRINTED FOR H.M. STATIONERY OFFICE BY JAMES HEWORTH & BROTHER LTD., LONDON. 51-790.' (Publishing and printing information, lower left corner)
  • 'P.R.D. 380' (Issue number, lower right corner)
Credit line
Gift of the American Friends of the V&A; Gift to the American Friends by Leslie, Judith and Gabri Schreyer and Alice Schreyer Batko
Subjects depicted
Other number
LS.1995 - Leslie Schreyer Loan Number
Collection
Accession number
E.1006-2004

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Record createdApril 27, 2006
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