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Summer Shell is Here Again

Poster
1936 (designed), 1936 (issued)
Artist/Maker
Shell Mex and B.P. Ltd. (issuer)
Miller, Jack (artist)
Place of origin
Great Britain (issued)

Colour lithograph poster depicting two mermaids on a beach, advertising Shell Motor Spirit. The mermaids are perched on two large conch shells and standing alongside them is a lobster playing a violin and a crab playing a harp. White cliffs (possibly of Dover) are shown in the background and the text 'SUMMER SHELL IS HERE AGAIN' is lettered in red, running above and below the image.

Object details

Categories
Prints
Advertising
Entertainment & Leisure
Posters
Paintings
Anthropomorphism
Object type
Poster
TitleSummer Shell is Here Again (assigned by artist)
Materials and techniques
Colour lithograph
Paper (Fiber Product)
Watercolor
Colour Lithography
Brief description
'Summer Shell is Here Again'. Colour lithograph poster depicting two mermaids on a beach, advertising Shell Motor Spirit. Designed by Jack Miller and issued by Shell-Mex and B.P. Ltd., Great Britain, 1936.
Physical description
Colour lithograph poster depicting two mermaids on a beach, advertising Shell Motor Spirit. The mermaids are perched on two large conch shells and standing alongside them is a lobster playing a violin and a crab playing a harp. White cliffs (possibly of Dover) are shown in the background and the text 'SUMMER SHELL IS HERE AGAIN' is lettered in red, running above and below the image.
Dimensions
  • Height: 75cm
  • Width: 114cm
Measurements taken from: Summary Catalogue of British Posters to 1988 in the Victoria & Albert Museum in the Department of Design, Prints & Drawing. Emmett Publishing, 1990. 129 p. ISBN: 1 869934 12 1
Marks and inscriptions
  • 'Jack Miller /36' (Signed and dated.)
  • 'SUMMER SHELL / IS HERE AGAIN' (Text of design lettered in red, running above and below the image.)
Credit line
Given by the Publicity Manager of Shell-Mex, Ltd.
Subjects depicted
Anthropomorphism
Holiday
Travel
Beach
Mermaids
Sea
Crab (Crustacean)
Harp
Lobsters
Shells
Cliffs
Sailing Ship
Fish
Bibliographic references
  • Summary Catalogue of British Posters to 1988 in the Victoria & Albert Museum in the Department of Design, Prints & Drawing. Emmett Publishing, 1990. 129 p. ISBN: 1 869934 12 1
  • Victoria and Albert Museum, Department of Engraving, Illustration and Design and Department of Paintings, Accessions 1936, London: Board of Education, 1937.
Other number
27/A7 - V&A microfiche
Collection
Prints, Drawings & Paintings Collection
Accession number
E.506-1936

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Record createdJune 30, 2009
Record URL
https://collections.vam.ac.uk/item/O736081/summer-shell-is-here-again-poster-miller-jack/
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