The Postal MuseumCollectionsHighlightsPostersWomen Artists of the General Post OfficeVanessa Bell, 1879-1961

Vanessa Bell, 1879-1961

‘The Last Minute Posters’ by Vanessa Bell, PRD.112, 1935, POST 110/2489

Vanessa Bell was a painter and designer, the sister of the writer Virginia Woolf and wife of art critic Clive Bell. A member of the celebrated cultural set, the Bloomsbury Group, during her lifetime she was exhibited in London and Paris.

Her artwork for a General Post Office poster ‘The Last Minute’ for which she received 50 guineas was rejected as not conveying: ‘the message which the Post Office wishes to convey on the subject of Early Posting’.

Posters by other artists on the same theme

Vanessa Bell’s ‘post early in the day’ design might not have been used in the end, but it was a very common theme for Post Office posters.

'Post early'. Poster designed by Graham Sutherland, PRD 87, 1934, POST 110/1439.
'Post early in the day'. Poster designed by Pat Keely, PRD 173, 1937, POST 110/1159.
'Post during lunch hour'. Poster designed by Edward McKnight Kauffer, PRD 155, 1937, POST 110/2491.
'Post during lunch hour'. Poster designed by Edward McKnight Kauffer, PRD 155, 1937, POST 110/2491.
Post early in the day
'Post early in the day'. Poster designed by Abram Games, PRD 172, 1937, POST 110/7118.
'Post your letters before noon'. Poster designed by Jan Le Witt and George Him, PRD 238, 1941, POST 110/3184.
'Post your letters before noon'. 1941. Artists: Jan Le Witt and George Him. (POST 110/3184)
Posting before lunch
'Posting before lunch'. Poster designed by Hans Schleger (Zero), PRD 250, 1941, POST 110/4150.
It is still better to post early in the day
'It is still better to post early in the day'. Photographic reproduction of poster designed by unknown artist, P 3788, 1948, POST 118/1884.
Post it early in the day
'Post it early in the day'. Poster designed by Harry Stevens, PRD 1086, 1960, POST 110/2547.
'If you want your 2d stamped mail to be dealt with the same day please... Post it early in the day'. Poster designed by Stirling Craig, PRD 1185, 1961, POST 110/2555.
'If you want your 2d stamped mail to be dealt with the same day please... Post it early in the day'. Poster designed by Stirling Craig, PRD 1185, 1961, POST 110/2555.

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