"I Am Telling You" Vintage WWI Uncle Sam W.S.S. Enlistment Poster by James Montgomery Flagg, 1918

Presented is an original War Savings Stamps poster by artist James Montgomery Flagg. Depicting a stern Uncle Sam, the poster is printed with the words, “I'm telling you / On June 28th I expect you to enlist in the army of war savers to back up my army of fighters. W.S.S. Enlistment.” The poster was published by American Lithographic Co., New York in 1918. 

James Montgomery Flagg (1870-1960) was a prodigious illustrator, working as a contributing artist to Life magazine at the surprisingly young age of 14. He is most famous for creating the first image of the fictional Uncle Sam, in the iconic 1917 “I want YOU" World War I poster. It is storied that Flagg used his own likeness as the model for Uncle Sam, imagining himself as a much older man and with facial hair.

Until the advent of the Cold War in the 1950s, America traditionally maintained a relatively small standing army. Whenever war broke out, it was necessary for the country to mobilize: to recruit troops, to train them, and to produce the arms, equipment, and supplies needed to fight. When Congress and the President declared war on Germany in April of 1917, this mobilization took on extreme urgency. The government’s overarching goal was to persuade a traditionally isolationist American populace to invest and support the European war effort. They needed support both financially, through the purchase of war bonds and saving stamps and rationing, and emotionally, through volunteer service and displays of patriotism.

Each of the four Liberty Loan campaigns (two in 1917, two in 1918) and the Victory Loan campaign of early 1919 aimed for rapid subscription in the loan and bond programs, to generate quick funding of the war effort. Subscribing to the bonds became a symbol of patriotic duty in the United States and introduced the idea of financial securities to many citizens for the first time. Working Americans would buy these savings stamps, to then trade in for smaller denominations of bonds, which at the end of the war would be repaid with interest.

Consequently, there was an outpouring of poster art on both the local and national levels for these loan programs, including this particular poster. Famous artists and illustrators were hired to design these attention-grabbing posters, like Charles Livingston Bull, Haskill Coffin, and James Montgomery Flagg. 

CONDITION:

Near fine condition. Original color lithograph. The color is strong and vibrant. Light toning to paper, but otherwise very healthy. Signed by the artist in the lithographic stone, at middle right. Publication information at bottom center margin. Poster is linen-backed. 

Poster has been artfully framed to the highest conservation standards in a custom-built back wooden frame with acid-free backing and UV plexiglas.

Framed Dimensions: 35" H x 25" W x 1 1/2" D.

Accompanied by our company's letter of authenticity.