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  • High quality Giclée reproduction of Abram Games' 1940s WWII poster, "Spades Not Ships," symbolic design fusing a shovel and ship hull, Mid-Century Modern graphic art.
  • Festival of Britain (1951) | Abram Games
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The Trumpet Shop Vintage Prints

Abram Games: "Use Spades Not Ships" (1942) WWII Giclée Poster

Abram Games: "Use Spades Not Ships" (1942) WWII Giclée Poster

$25.00 USD
$25.00 USD $25.00 USD
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⭑ 🇺🇸 Printed & dispatched from USA 🇺🇸 ⭑

  • 200gsm premium art paper
  • Tracked delivery within 10 days
  • Free replacement guarantee

Capture the powerful resilience and ingenuity of the British home front with this unforgettable Abram Games "Use Spades Not Ships" reproduction. This iconic 1942 poster is a masterpiece of WWII utility graphic design, communicating a vital national message with startling clarity.

Abram Games (1914–1996), serving as the official poster designer for the War Office, aimed to create visuals that conveyed complex ideas instantaneously. This poster, designed during the height of the Battle of the Atlantic, promotes the crucial "Dig for Victory" campaign.

  • Stark Symbolism: The design is a powerful allegory: the spade, representing domestic food production, is placed visually against the silhouette of a cargo ship, representing the vital (and threatened) supply lines. The message is clear—growing food at home saves essential shipping space for military supplies and materiel.

  • Modernist Clarity: Games’ style aligns perfectly with Modernist principles, utilizing bold, simplified shapes and a high-impact, limited color palette (often dark earth tones and vibrant accents). This clarity and directness made his work highly effective wartime visual propaganda.

This print is an essential piece of vintage British propaganda art and sophisticated Mid-Century graphic design, valued highly for its historical context and enduring artistic power.

  • Artist: Abram Games (1914–1996), Official Poster Designer for the War Office.

  • Artwork: Promotional poster for the "Dig for Victory" campaign (c. 1942).

  • Artistic Style: Mid-Century Modern / Utility Graphic Design; "Maximum meaning, minimum means," focused on symbolic clarity.

  • Historical Context: Documents the critical British home-front efforts during World War II and the necessity of preserving Atlantic supply routes.

  • Print Quality: Museum-quality Archival Giclée Print faithfully recreating the original's lithographic sharpness and flat, high-contrast color fields.

  • Aesthetic: Ultimate vintage kitchen decor and powerful Modernist statement piece.

Secure this visually striking and historically defining masterwork of wartime design. This impactful Abram Games poster is an iconic symbol of resilience and graphic intelligence. Order this Giclée reproduction today.

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