{"product_id":"join-american-red-cross-vintage-wwii-recruitment-tabletop-sign-by-james-montgomery-flagg","title":"\"Join American Red Cross\" Vintage WWII Recruitment Tabletop Sign by James Montgomery Flagg","description":"\u003cp dir=\"ltr\"\u003e\u003cspan\u003ePresented is an original WWII folding tabletop sign, promoting enlistment in The American Red Cross. The poster uses distinct Uncle Sam imagery, with the urging text “Join American Red Cross” printed boldly in red and blue at the bottom. Uncle Sam is depicted wearing a red and white Red Cross lapel pin on his suit jacket, the only pop of color after the blue ring of stars around his iconic top hat. This sign was issued for public tabletop display, and would have been used in shops, grocery stores, community centers, enlistment centers, and schools. Issued flat, it has folding directions printed on it in blue, with two tabs and two corresponding slots for tabs, and a cut-out around Uncle Sam's hat, in order to turn the flat sheet into a tabletop stand. This tabletop sign was designed by the famed poster artist, James Montgomery Flagg (1877-1960). \u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp dir=\"ltr\"\u003e\u003cspan\u003eThe name and persona of Uncle Sam is linked to real-life Samuel Wilson, an American meatpacker from Troy, New York who supplied barrels of meat to the U.S. Army during the War of 1812. Wilson was quite well known in Troy, and local residents reportedly called him \"Uncle Sam.\" Wilson supposedly stamped the barrels with “U.S.” for the United States. “When the local people and Army soldiers saw the food barrels marked \"U.S.,\" they assumed that the letters meant Uncle Sam. Wilson had labeled the barrels \"U.S.\" for \"United States,\" and so the two ideas merged—Uncle Sam became a symbol for the United States of America” (Elder). The local newspaper picked up on the story and Uncle Sam eventually gained widespread acceptance as the nickname for the U.S. federal government.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp dir=\"ltr\"\u003e\u003cspan\u003eThe image of Uncle Sam was inspired by Samuel Wilson, but adapted by Thomas Nast (1840-1902). Nast, a political cartoonist, began producing the image of Uncle Sam in cartoons. Nast evolved the design of Uncle Sam from preliminary sketches, later applying the white beard and American top hat. Adding to Nast’s preliminary designs, James Montgomery Flagg’s (1877-1960) imagery of Uncle Sam spread widely and rapidly. James Montgomery Flagg was an American artist specializing in illustrations and cartooning. Flagg’s prominent illustrations from the WWI era feature Uncle Sam, including his famous 1917 “I Want You for U.S. Army” poster. This poster, irrefutably Flagg’s most famous design, features Uncle Sam with a white beard and white hair, a patriotic top hat, and red, white, and blue clothing. It is storied that Flagg used his own appearance as the inspiration for Uncle Sam, imagining himself as a much older man with facial hair. The similarities are recognizable between the two, and his image of Uncle Sam is arguably the most famous. Flagg’s Uncle Sam rendition spoke to Americans profoundly, and encouraged American able-bodied men to join the war effort. While images of Uncle Sam had existed since the early 1800s, it is Flagg's adaptation that was most pervasive and is commonly recognized today.  \u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp dir=\"ltr\"\u003e\u003cspan\u003eThe American Red Cross was largely composed of volunteers. In 1945, at the peak of wartime activity, 7.5 million volunteers, along with 39,000 paid staff, provided service to the military. Recruitment posters, pamphlets, and signs just like this one were necessary in order to maintain enough volunteers to serve the needs of both the battlefield and the homefront. \u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp dir=\"ltr\"\u003e\u003cspan\u003eCONDITION: \u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp dir=\"ltr\"\u003e\u003cspan\u003eVery good+ condition. Folding tabletop cardboard sign, issued flat. Folding directions printed in blue, with two tabs and two corresponding slots for tabs, and a cut-out around Uncle Sam's hat. Printed color, still vibrant, without much fading. Light toning to white areas. Signed in the stone “James Montgomery Flagg” in the lower left corner. Light creasing and wear along fold lines, as expected.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp dir=\"ltr\"\u003e\u003cspan\u003eDimensions: 16\" H x 11\" W (Sheet size flat). 15 1\/4\"H x 11\"W (Folded standing). \u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp dir=\"ltr\"\u003e\u003cspan\u003eAccompanied by our company's letter of authenticity. \u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cb id=\"docs-internal-guid-2786f79c-7fff-3784-fe95-0acbf64031f8\"\u003e\u003c\/b\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"The Great Republic","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":48532027179237,"sku":"P328","price":550.0,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0285\/3070\/files\/join-american-red-cross-vintage-wwii-recruitment-tabletop-sign-by-james-montgomery-flagg-9235710.jpg?v=1773311589","url":"https:\/\/www.great-republic.com\/products\/join-american-red-cross-vintage-wwii-recruitment-tabletop-sign-by-james-montgomery-flagg","provider":"The Great Republic","version":"1.0","type":"link"}