A couple of years ago by now, I wrote a post called “Give It Your Best:” World War II Posters. In that post, I shared about my experience in purchasing two World War II posters. Looking back, I’m still so proud that I was able to purchase those posters, as they offer a glimpse (both socially and artistically) into World War II on the homefront. As I drew inspiration from my original World War II prints, though, I knew there was something missing, an era that was altogether underrepresented in my collection: World War I.
Finding My World War I Poster
A few days after Christmas 2024, I was in that post-holiday haze (you know, the kind where you can’t really remember what day of the month you’re living in!). Because the main holiday festivities had drawn to a close and it was way too cold to spend time outside, I hopped on Golden Age Posters‘ website, the same business I’d purchased my two World War II posters from in 2022. I was planning on just perusing the website because while I’d wanted an original World War I poster in my collection for a while, I didn’t plan on making a purchase that day.
Notice how I said, “didn’t plan on making a purchase”? Well, as soon as I visited the subpage for World War I posters, a stunning eagle caught my eye. His beak was slightly opened, his head tilted to the side. He was the embodiment of a majestic warrior, especially when I noticed some primitive early twentieth century planes flying out from his nest. Right away, I knew that this poster needed to be in my collection. At least, until I saw the price tag, which I realized was a major splurge after purchasing Christmas gifts.
A little disheartened, I looked at a few of the cheaper options for World War I posters, and I found a few others that I liked well enough. But still, my mind was drawn back to the eagle and the power of the simple statement, “Keep Him Free,” each time. Because I’m pretty persistent (and not really afraid of hearing a “no”), I decided to reach out to the seller about three different posters, just to see what deals might be available to me as a loyal repeat customer.
Within a few minutes, my inbox dinged with a reply. The seller was willing to negotiate on all three pieces—including the “Keep Him Free” poster! When the seller reduced the price dramatically, I knew this deal was just too good to pass up. After all, it’s not everyday that one finds a nearly perfect condition poster that’s over 100 years old (plus one that’s a bit more iconic on World War I poster circles). So I did it; I made the purchase.
Framing It
After I purchased the poster and it arrived, I knew that the next step would be having it professionally framed, just like my two World War II posters. Of course, professional framing (with UV-protective glass and archival quality materials) is much more costly than simply heading to the store to grab a traditional frame, so I decided to save up for a bit.
Finally, in late February, I was ready to head to Hobby Lobby to frame my poster. I took the poster back to the framing section, where they took precise measurements and offered me a large frame selection. I wanted the frame to match my World War II posters, and thankfully they had the exact same slim metal frame I’d purchased back in 2022 for my other prints. And, just like with my other posters, the Hobby Lobby team understood why I wouldn’t want to leave an original poster in the store overnight, so they told me I could bring the poster in and have it framed on the same day. With the measurements of my print sent off and my frame order in place, I just had to wait for the custom-made frame to arrive at the store.
Display Ready
After the frame arrived, I took my print into the store, where a staff member had it framed in under 30 minutes. Finally–after several months of patiently waiting and saving up–my World War I poster was ready to display.
I’ll admit that I wasn’t exactly sure where I would hang World War I poster, but after moving a reproduction Civil War print, I found that displaying it above my other relics (Civil War knapsack, buttons, bullets, canteen, etc.) was the perfect space for it. With my new setup, I have both of my World War II posters tucked onto one wall, with the World War I poster nearby. Today, I’m incredibly happy with all three poster purchases, as I think they perfectly tie together my historical space in a way that’s unique for a historian. At this point, I won’t say I’ll never get another World War I or II poster, but I will note that I need to see about rearranging for more wall space first!
Keep the History Alive!
