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Examine ladders before use

Poster
ca.1940s- ca.1950s (made)
Artist/Maker
Loxley Bros. Ltd. (printers)
Royal Society for the Prevention of Accidents (publishers)
ROSPA (The Royal Society for the Prevention of Accidents) (publishers)
Eckersley, Tom (OBE) (designer)
Place of origin
London (published)

Poster encouraging safety at work depicting a ladder with a broken rung. Behind the ladder, viewed through the rung is the black sihouetted figure of a man on crutches.Below the ladder is the poster's slogan in large black letters, 'Examine ladders', and to the right and slightly below (in brown letters), 'Before use'. The artist has signed himself, 'Eckersley' along the top right inner edge of the ladder.

Object details

Categories
Prints
Propaganda
Health
Posters
Disability
Object type
Poster
TitleExamine ladders before use (generic title)
Materials and techniques
Colour lithograph
Lithographic Ink
Paper
Lithography
Brief description
Safety at work poster produced by RoSPA, designed by Tom Eckersley, and printed by Loxley Bros. Ltd, United Kingdom, 1940s or 1950s
Physical description
Poster encouraging safety at work depicting a ladder with a broken rung. Behind the ladder, viewed through the rung is the black sihouetted figure of a man on crutches.Below the ladder is the poster's slogan in large black letters, 'Examine ladders', and to the right and slightly below (in brown letters), 'Before use'. The artist has signed himself, 'Eckersley' along the top right inner edge of the ladder.
Dimensions
  • Height: 76.2cm
  • Width: 50.6cm
Marks and inscriptions
  • 'EXAMINE LADDERS / BEFORE USE'

    Note
    Printed in black and brown

  • 'IND/J/2'

    Note
    The issue number is printed in the lower left-hand corner, next to the Society's symbol, a cog and a triangle.

  • 'Issued by the Royal Society for the Prevention of Accidents, Terminal House, 52 Grosvenor Gardens, London S.W.1 Printed by LOXLEY BROS. Ltd.'.

    Note
    Printing and publishing information, printed at the bottom of the poster.

  • 'ECKERSLEY'

    Note
    Artist's signature, along the top right inner edge of the ladder

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
Health
Safety
Prevention
Accident
Ladders
Figures
Silhouettes
Crutches
Blue Collar Workers
Other number
LS.2003 - Leslie Schreyer Loan Number
Collection
Prints, Drawings & Paintings Collection
Accession number
E.873-2004

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Record createdApril 11, 2006
Record URL
https://collections.vam.ac.uk/item/O122986/examine-ladders-before-use-poster-eckersley-tom-obe/
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