Newly discovered and exclusively available on Limited Runs is a rare set of banking posters dating from the early 1920’s.  These posters are part of an advertising campaign called “Don’t Spend It All,” which were found in the archives of a now defunct print maker.  These copies, which are available for the first time, are the original printer’s proofs and have never been circulated.  It’s also believed that several images from this series may have never been used in the actual public campaign.

The  “Don’t Spend It All” advertising campaign ran during the early 1920’s as part of an effort to convince the public to open checking and saving accounts. Messaging varied from poster design, some choosing to educate and others to compliment the potential customer.  The posters were designed to make the consumer feel that opening an account would lead to a more prosperous future. The campaign targeted every potential member of the community from young to old.  Clever tag lines were used to encourage consumers to open accounts like “A bank account PROVES that you are worthy.  It gives you standing in our community” which were meant to imply one could achieve greater standing in the community with a bank account.  There is little subtlety with some of the poster designs and tag line as in this poster “I’ll have plenty o’time to save – LATER, drifting along the easy way is the cause of many a man’s ultimate failure” which negatively implies that one is a failure without a bank account.  Ironically, later that decade, it was these same banks that failed on a massive scale causing many account holders to lose their life’s saving and leading to the great depression.

Robber
Artist: M.O. Charleson
Year Printed: c. 1920’s
Size: 20” x 29”

A Float On The Sea Of Life
Artist: unknown
Year Printed: c. 1920’s
Size: 20” x 29”

Little is known about these posters which are a great example of stone lithography each with exquisit artwork.  When viewed in a historical context, the message contained in each poster becomes even more fasincating as they blatently display the morals and attitudes of their time.  There are a total of 42 posters available from this series. Availability is limited with only single items offered.  Once these are sold they may not come up for sale again.  Don’t miss out on this truly rare find.

See the entire collection of these newly found “Don’t Spend It All” posters

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