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Ouiet! Loose talk can cost lives

Poster
1942 (made)
Artist/Maker
British and American Ambulance Corps. (issued by)
Holcomb, Dal (designer)
Place of origin
United States (made)

'Quiet!', World War II poster warning against careless depicting a man with his mouth covered by a second person's arm. The man wears a black suit and bowler hat, and faces to the left of the poster. He looks surprised as an hand, coming from outside the picture is thrust over his mouth. The sleeve is visible, and is decorated with the stars and stripes, indicating that Uncle Sam is warning him to keep quiet. To the left of the image, towards the top of the poster, is the slogan, 'QUIET!', and below the image, printed in black on a yellow 'banner', 'Loose Talk Can Cost Lives'.

Object details

Categories
Prints
Propaganda
Posters
Object type
Poster
TitleOuiet! Loose talk can cost lives (assigned by artist)
Materials and techniques
Colour lithograph
Paper
Ink
Lithography
Brief description
'Quiet!', World War II poster warning against careless talk depicting a man with his mouth covered, by John Falter, issued by British and American Ambulance Corps., 1942
Physical description
'Quiet!', World War II poster warning against careless depicting a man with his mouth covered by a second person's arm. The man wears a black suit and bowler hat, and faces to the left of the poster. He looks surprised as an hand, coming from outside the picture is thrust over his mouth. The sleeve is visible, and is decorated with the stars and stripes, indicating that Uncle Sam is warning him to keep quiet. To the left of the image, towards the top of the poster, is the slogan, 'QUIET!', and below the image, printed in black on a yellow 'banner', 'Loose Talk Can Cost Lives'.
Dimensions
  • Height: 50.7cm
  • Width: 35.5cm
Marks and inscriptions
  • 'QUIET!' (Above the image, in black letters)
  • 'LOOSE TALK / CAN COST LIVES' (Below the image, printed in black against a yellow tape or banner)
  • 'Holcomb' (Along the lower left edge of the image, at the bottom of the poster, in green ink)
  • '© 1942' (Date, in lower left corner)
  • 'DISTRIBUTED IN THE INTEREST OF NATIONAL DEFENCE, AND AS A MEANS OF OBTAINING FUNDS FOR AMBULANCES WHEREVER NEEDED, BRITISH AND AMERICAN AMBULANCE CORPS, INC., 420 LEXINGTON AVENUE, NEW YORK CITY' (distribution details, running along the lower edge of the poster, in white border, printed in black)
  • 'ART' (Symbol made of an eagle's head, forming the letter 'a', with the letters 'ART' below, within a squared oval)
  • 'LITHO IN U.S.A.' (Along edge in lower left corner, printed in black)
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
War
Security
Propaganda
Espionage
Patriotism
Men
Suits
Bowler Hats
Hands
Stars and Stripes
Uncle Sam
World War II
Associated objects
Other number
LS.488 - Leslie Schreyer Loan Number
Collection
Prints, Drawings & Paintings Collection
Accession number
E.593-2004

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Record createdMarch 29, 2006
Record URL
https://collections.vam.ac.uk/item/O122413/ouiet-loose-talk-can-cost-poster-holcomb-dal/
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