Historic Americana
World War I: Uncle Sam Recruiting Poster By James Montgomery Flagg with the Iconic Text: "I Want You/ For U.S. Army/ Nearest Recruiting Station." the 1917 Original
World War I (1917), Uncle Sam Recruiting Poster By James Montgomery Flagg, an original 1917 full size Color Poster measuring 30" x 40" (matted for display), with text which reads: "I WANT YOU / FOR U.S. ARMY / Nearest Recruiting Station.", Very Fine.
James Montgomery Flag's deep blue printed signature styled name is located above "YOU" of the text below. Vivid thick blue and red stripes act as a border design along the edges, the red meeting the current surrounding 3" wide white outer presentation display mat (not removed from its mat). This example has been previously folded with some wear along the folds, having one small .5" hole in the lower left blue jacket, yet appears bold in appearance with rich colors and nice eye appeal. Displays well as is, yet conservation would likely remove folds. This Poster does not appear to have been previously conserved, backed, or repaired.
Without question, this is one of the most important and universally recognizable American War Propaganda Posters ever created, later reissued and repurposed a multitude of times with different designs and themes throughout the decades. This original having drawn inspiration from the 1916 Lord Kitchener poster published by David Allen & Sons. Here, the noted artist and illustrator James Montgomery Flagg followed the stylized imagery of Lord Kitchener's forcefully pointed finger while modeling "Uncle Sam" on a self-portrait of himself. This image originally appeared on the July 6, 1916 cover of Leslie Magazine, for which Flagg worked as an illustrator. The original text read: "What are you doing for preparedness?" with the current and popular "I Want You" text not appearing until February 15, 1917. Recently, a similar example was sold at Auction for over $21,000 described as: "linen backed, a closed tear at the bottom has been professionally repaired." Our current Posters Provenance Ex: Spink/R.M. Smythe Sale 313, May 18, 2012, to current consignor.