Keep Calm And Carry On (1939)

This is a very rare and important piece of British history, printed in 1939 when the threat of invasion by the all conquering Nazis was a very real possibility. This design was printed in secret and intended for distribution only if the Germans landed on British soil. Thankfully this never happened and, like all paper in the 1940's, stocks were taken from storage, pulped and recycled in the austerity years after the war. It was almost completely forgotten until one was rediscovered in 2000 by the owner of a bookshop, whereupon the design became the centre of a worldwide marketing phenomenon, appearing on everything from mugs to T-shirts. There were believed to be only two survivors until a stash of fifteen appeared on the BBC Antiques Roadshow in 2012 and six more appeared from another significant estate find of a hoard of wartime posters in 2014. They remain incredibly rare with under forty known examples in the world. Undoubtedly the most poignant of any wartime poster in British history, it has recently also become one of the most iconic motivational themes of all time and is consequently increasingly sought after.

• Year: 1939
• Nationality: United Kingdom
• Condition: Unfolded
• Type: Double Crown
• Size: 20 X 30 Inches
• Product Code: P1977