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Loose talk can cost lives

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

'Loose talk can cost lives', World War II poster warning against careless talk, with two men depicted in cartoon form. Both are wearing a suits and hats, and one is whispering into the ear of the other as he looks over his shoulder. The cartoon is black and white, against a white background that follows the shape of the two figures. The rest of the poster is coloured dark-green. Below the image, printed in black on a yellow 'banner', are the words, 'Loose Talk Can Cost Lives'.

Object details

Categories
Prints
Propaganda
Caricatures & Cartoons
Posters
Object type
Poster
TitleLoose talk can cost lives (assigned by artist)
Materials and techniques
Colour lithograph
Paper
Ink
Lithography
Brief description
'Loose talk can cost lives', World War II poster warning against careless talk, by William Steig, issued by British and American Ambulance Corps., 1942
Physical description
'Loose talk can cost lives', World War II poster warning against careless talk, with two men depicted in cartoon form. Both are wearing a suits and hats, and one is whispering into the ear of the other as he looks over his shoulder. The cartoon is black and white, against a white background that follows the shape of the two figures. The rest of the poster is coloured dark-green. Below the image, printed in black on a yellow 'banner', are the words, 'Loose Talk Can Cost Lives'.
Dimensions
  • Height: 50.7cm
  • Width: 35.5cm
Marks and inscriptions
  • 'LOOSE TALK / CAN COST LIVES' (Below the image, printed in black against a yellow tape or banner)
  • 'W Steig' (Incorporated into the image, between the two men, black on white)
  • '© 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
Humour
Men
Cartoons
World War II
Associated objects
Other number
LS.531 - Leslie Schreyer Loan Number
Collection
Prints, Drawings & Paintings Collection
Accession number
E.602-2004

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Record createdMarch 29, 2006
Record URL
https://collections.vam.ac.uk/item/O122429/loose-talk-can-cost-lives-poster-steig-william/
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