Excuse us the pun! It’s just an exciting time. Next week, we’ll be putting a colourful selection of posters up for sale online. You can see them – and even pre-bid – right now: they’re Lots 90-131, here on the LiveAuctioneers website.

Poster advertising the Post Office Savings Bank by Frederic Henri Kay Henrion (POST 110/3198)

Poster advertising the Post Office Savings Bank by Frederic Henri Kay Henrion (POST 110/3198)

Don’t worry: we won’t be losing any priceless pieces of postal heritage. Every poster going on sale is a duplicate, an identical copy of something we already have at least 2 copies of in our collection. The proceeds will go towards building our new facilities.

The artwork can be quite spectacular. It ranges from public advisory posters like this jolly 1962 effort from James Mawtus-Judd (estimated to reach £30 to £40):

Poster advocating care when packing parcels, by James Mawtus-Judd (POST 110/2621)

Poster advocating care when packing parcels, by James Mawtus-Judd (POST 110/2621)

To this spectacular 1936 design from Harold Sandys Williamson, intended for display in schools (estimated to reach £1,000 to £1,500!):

"Loading mails at the dock in London", by Harold Sandys Williamson (POST 110/3174B)

‘Loading mails at the dock in London’, by Harold Sandys Williamson (POST 110/3174B)

The auction will take place on Friday 16 December. Why not have a flutter? If you don’t win, you can always visit the originals in our Archive next year…

Why not have a flick through some of the offerings right now? Just don’t forget to check the auction site next Friday for your favourite!

'Post Office underground mail train, London' by Lili Rethi (POST 110/4147)
'Outposts of Empire. Barbados' by John Vickery (POST 110/2497)
'Outposts of Empire. Barbados' by John Vickery (POST 110/2497)
'Royal Mail A.D. 1935' by John Armstrong (POST 110/2486)
'Royal Mail A.D. 1935' by John Armstrong (POST 110/2486)
'Loading Air Mails for the Empire, Croydon, 1934' by Harold Sandys Williamson (POST 109/168)
'Loading Air Mails for the Empire, Croydon, 1934' by H.S. Williamson (POST 109/168)
'Please use your correct address' by Robert Scanlan (POST 110/2641)
'Please use your correct address' by Robert Scanlan (POST 110/2641)
'Please use your correct address' by Elizabeth Blackadder (POST 110/2627)
'Please use your correct address' by Elizabeth Blackadder (POST 110/2627)