"Boycott the Circus - It's Cruel" - this mid-century poster is a powerful piece of propaganda from the Performing Animals' Defence League. Produced around the same time that circus groups such as Robert Bros were pasting up posters advertising acts like 'Sidney the Boxing Kangaroo' and almost all circus groups incorporated a zoo element into their performance with lions, elephants and even crocodiles being top of the bill. This simple, bold poster was designed to cover the bold and colourful cirucs posters with a clear and simple message, legible from a distance - rebel bill posting perfection and a real piece of social history. 

 

The Performing Animals Defence League was founded in 1914. This poster is likely to date to the 1940s/early '50s. This is the second run of un-pasted 'Boycott the Circus' posters I've managed to buy. The first run had a more ameture, basic feel with a skinnier typeface and some fairly wonky printing. This second run was probably produced a little later; it's bold and punchy, though still wonderfully simple. 

This poster was printed by St Christopher Press Ltd, Letchworth, Herts. I can't find out much about the St Christopher Press Ltd, but there is a St Christopher's School in Letchworth so perhaps the press was based within or associated with the school...

 

Obviously enough this piece is a rare survivor, it's printed onto very thin, newsprint grade paper and it was intended to be pasted up after which it couldn't have been removed. This is part of a small run that I managed to buy and is one of the better survivors. It's been professionally framed using conservation grade backing board and is ready to hang.

 

Including the frame, the poster measures 79.5cm high x 54cm wide x 1.5cm deep.

 

S/N: #1213