British Council Collection
Mrs Phyllis Mabey donated this collection of over 300 posters to the British Council. In August 1977, she wrote: "I should be very glad to hand the collection to The British Council as a gift, as I feel sure that it could not be in better hands, and it will be kept as a collection and not broken up.I wish that the collection be preserved as an entity and that it should be known as the ALAN MABEY COLLECTION."
This collection was originally administered and toured by General Exhibitions Department whose work, over the years, became subsumed into Design Department. In 1996 the poster collection was handed over to Visual Arts Department.
The bulk of the collection covers the first half of the century and includes prime examples of London Transport posters from the 1920s and 30s designed by commercial artists such as Edward McKnight Kauffer, Tom Purvis and Frank Newbould, some 40 posters commissioned by Shell from artists such as Paul Nash, Graham Sutherland and Ben Nicholson, posters advertising various department stores, dry cleaners, hair styling products and the like. There are also a number of early theatre posters by Dudley Hardy and John Hassall, as well as advertising posters by Aubrey Beardsley for magazines. Since the bequest the collection was augmented by post-war works by leading British artists and designers acquired by General Exhibition Department.
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CHINGFORD BY MOTOR BUS 1920
Edward McKnight Kauffer (1890 – 1954)
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REIGATE - PRIORY PARK BY MOTOR BUS 1921
Edward McKnight Kauffer (1890 – 1954)
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GLOVES CLEANED COLOUR AND BEAUTY RESTORED 1922
Edward McKnight Kauffer (1890 – 1954)
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POMEROY DAY CREAM 1922
Edward McKnight Kauffer (1890 – 1954)
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POMEROY SKIN FOOD 1922
Edward McKnight Kauffer (1890 – 1954)
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LONDON HISTORY AT THE LONDON MUSEUM 1923
Edward McKnight Kauffer (1890 – 1954)
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READ 'CRICKETER' IN THE MANCHESTER GUARDIAN 1923
Edward McKnight Kauffer (1890 – 1954)
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LONDON DYERS AND CLEANERS FOR OVER 120 YEARS: EASTMAN AND SON 1923
Edward McKnight Kauffer (1890 – 1954)
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SINCE 1802 THE LONDON DYERS AND CLEANERS 1923
Edward McKnight Kauffer (1890 – 1954)
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SPRING CLEANING: EASTMAN'S THE LONDON DYERS AND CLEANERS 1924
Edward McKnight Kauffer (1890 – 1954)
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WINTER SALES ARE BEST REACHED BY UNDERGROUND 1924
Edward McKnight Kauffer (1890 – 1954)
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ENO'S FRUIT SALTS FIRST THING EVERY MORNING 1924
Edward McKnight Kauffer (1890 – 1954)
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WELWYN GARDEN CITY A TOWN THAT IS PLANNED, A HOME TO BE PROUD OF 1925
Edward McKnight Kauffer (1890 – 1954)
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THE NEW TRADEMARK OF EASTMAN & SON 1925
Edward McKnight Kauffer (1890 – 1954)
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SOCRATES AT THE BRITISH MUSEUM. BY UNDERGROUND 1926
Edward McKnight Kauffer (1890 – 1954)
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FROM WINTERS GLOOM TO SUMMERS JOY 1927
Edward McKnight Kauffer (1890 – 1954)
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LOOK! UNDER THAT BROAD BEECH TREE ... 1932
Edward McKnight Kauffer (1890 – 1954)
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BY THE RUSHY-FRINGED BANK ... 1932
Edward McKnight Kauffer (1890 – 1954)
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NOW THE PINE-TREE'S WAVING TOP ... 1932
Edward McKnight Kauffer (1890 – 1954)
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THE TOWER OF LONDON 1934
Edward McKnight Kauffer (1890 – 1954)
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BUCKINGHAM PALACE FROM ST JAMES'S PARK 1934
Edward McKnight Kauffer (1890 – 1954)
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VISIT YOUR MUSEUMS - NATURAL HISTORY MUSEUM 1974
Edward McKnight Kauffer (1890 – 1954)
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HUBBLE BUBBLE SWEETS MEAN TROUBLE 1974
Janetta Lewin (1953 – )
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SANDEMAN'S PORT EARLY 1920S
Edward Loxton Knight (1905 – 1993)
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LOCHLOMONDSIDE SCOTLAND IS BEAUTIFUL THE SMT WAY 1946
Arthur Stewart Mackay (1909 – 1998)