Antique 1915 Frank Brangwyn WWI Poster, At Neuve Chapelle, Original British Recruitment Lithograph, Avenue Press London, Framed Estate

✦ Original 1915 WWI British Recruitment Poster ✦
✦ "At Neuve Chapelle" by Sir Frank Brangwyn, R.A. ✦

A rare original First World War recruitment poster designed and
lithographed by Sir Frank Brangwyn (1867–1956), one of Britain's most
important early-20th-century artists. Printed in 1915 by The Avenue
Press, Ltd., Bouverie St., London. This iconic poster commemorates
the Battle of Neuve-Chapelle (March 1915), one of the first major
British offensives of the war.

The poster bears the powerful caption "Your Friends Need You. Be A Man"
and depicts a dramatic battlefield scene rendered in Brangwyn's signature
expressive lithographic style — a wounded soldier rallying comrades
amid the chaos of artillery and fallen men.

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✦ INSTITUTIONAL HOLDINGS — MUSEUM-RECOGNIZED IMAGE ✦

The same poster is held in the permanent collections of:

- Library of Congress (Washington, D.C.)
- Victoria and Albert Museum (London)
- Smithsonian National Museum of American History
- Worcester Art Museum (Massachusetts)
- Brown University — Anne S.K. Brown Military Collection
- National Museum Wales

This is an extraordinary opportunity to acquire a museum-grade WWI
poster from a private estate.

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✦ PROVENANCE — THE SCHOLAR'S ESTATE COLLECTION ✦

Acquired from the estate of a Pacific Northwest historian — a graduate
of a leading East Coast university — who carefully preserved this
poster as part of his personal historical archive. The original owner
identified the artist by hand on the reverse backing: "Sir Frank
Brangwyn, R.A. 1867–1956 (born Bruges, Belgium)" — confirming the
historian's awareness of the piece's significance.

This is part of an ongoing curated release from the same estate.
Please follow SWCurated to see other pieces from "The Scholar's Estate
Collection."

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✦ ABOUT THE ARTIST ✦

Sir Frank Brangwyn, R.A. (1867–1956) was a Welsh-Belgian artist of
international stature. Born in Bruges and trained in the workshops
of William Morris, he produced over 12,000 works across painting,
lithography, etching, stained glass, and mural design. During the
First World War, Brangwyn created more than 80 poster designs for
British recruitment, war charities, and Belgian relief — most donated
free to the war effort.

His war posters were so powerful that Kaiser Wilhelm II reportedly
placed a price on his head after seeing his anti-German propaganda.
Brangwyn was knighted in 1941 and remains one of the most collected
British poster artists of the 20th century.

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✦ THE POSTER — DETAILS ✦

- ARTIST: Sir Frank Brangwyn, A.R.A. (signed in plate / printed credit)
- DATE: 1915
- PRINTER: The Avenue Press, Ltd., Bouverie St., London, England
- TECHNIQUE: Original stone lithograph on paper
- SUBJECT: Battle of Neuve-Chapelle, March 1915 — British recruitment
- PUBLISHED: Printed credits visible at the bottom of the poster

Catalogued in standard reference works on WWI posters (Rawls; Rickards).

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✦ DIMENSIONS ✦

- Frame outer dimensions: approximately 30" × 20" (76 × 51 cm)
- Sheet size approximately matches the standard "C-size" Avenue Press
Brangwyn format documented by the Library of Congress (75 × 50 cm)
- Depth: ~1" with frame
- Currently framed under glass in a slim black metal frame

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✦ CONDITION ✦

Excellent vintage condition consistent with a poster of 110+ years:

- Image clear and legible throughout — strong black ink, good contrast
- Original horizontal and vertical fold lines visible (typical of
posters distributed flat-folded during wartime — these folds are
characteristic of authentic 1915 issue and are documented in
museum collections)
- Minor creases in margins
- Paper tone consistent with kraft/newsprint stock used by Avenue Press
- Currently framed under glass — buyer may choose to retain the frame
or have the poster professionally re-framed/linen-backed for
long-term preservation
- Backing board hand-inscribed with artist attribution by previous
owner (the historian)

I recommend professional conservation framing with UV-protective glass
and acid-free matting for long-term display. A linen-backed conservation
treatment (offered by specialist poster restorers) can also enhance
both preservation and resale value.

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✦ SHIPPING & HANDLING ✦

- This is a large, fragile, framed item requiring careful packaging
- Will be packed by a professional shipping service in a custom
cardboard box with corner protectors, foam padding, and "FRAGILE /
GLASS" markings
- Shipped via UPS Ground or FedEx Ground with full insurance to the
declared value
- Tracking provided
- Processing time: 5–7 business days (to allow for proper packaging)
- International shipping available — please contact for a quote
- Sold as-is from a smoke-free home

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✦ FROM THE SAME ESTATE ✦

Other pieces from this scholar's estate are available in our shop,
including a pair of vintage Japanese Kamakura-bori carved wood
plaques signed by the artist Harada Sōzan, Japanese ukiyo-e reference
books, and a vintage MM Kane beaded evening clutch. Please follow
SWCurated for ongoing releases from "The Scholar's Estate Collection."

✦ Thank you for visiting SWCurated — where each piece carries its story. ✦