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"Register June 5th. A Great Day of Patriotic Devotion and Obligation” WWI Poster
$2,500
£1,887.77
€2,175.45
CA$3,528.56
A$3,890.16
CHF 2,035.21
MX$47,725.04
NOK 25,619.21
SEK 23,958.02
DKK 16,246.31
About the Item
Presented is a vintage WWI recruitment poster by Arthur W. Cohen. The poster shows Uncle Sam brandishing a quill pen before a cheering crowd. He stands in front of the American flag. The text urges viewers to “Register June 5th” in stark black and white text. A section of President Woodrow Wilson’s speech on the new Selective Service Act is excerpted in the middle of the poster: “A great day of patriotic devotion and obligation.” The poster was printed in 1917 by The Colonial Press, for the Committee of Public Safety of Pennsylvania, Department of Military Service.
Facing the challenge of growing a small, prewar army into a large army that could fight Germany, Congress passed the Selective Service Act on May 18, 1917. President Wilson proclaimed: “The significance of this cannot be overstated. It is a new thing in our history, and a landmark in our progress…It is in no sense a conscription of the unwilling, it is rather selection from a nation which has volunteered its mass.”
The government officially designated June 5, 1917 as the first National Registration Day. On this “great day of patriotic devotion and obligation,” millions of men throughout the nation, aged 21 to 30, filled out their selective service registration forms. Men registered for the draft at the same polling locations where they voted, a practical decision that symbolically coupled the rights and responsibilities of citizenship. Regional Selective Service boards, made up of local politicians, police officers, school officials, business owners, and medical personnel conducted medical examinations, registered and classified men, and determined who received deferments.
CONDITION:
Good condition, considering age and use. Chromolithograph. The color is rich and still vibrant. Three horizontal holes in the poster along the crease, in the Wilson quote, filled and expertly in-painted. Multiple pin holes at top. Four diagonal creases in the bottom left corner. Minor stains in top hat, minor soiling in margins, and various areas of crinkling. Signed by artist in the lithographic stone, at lower right. “Issued by Committee of Public Safety of Pennsylvania, Department of Military Service, South Penn Square, Philadelphia.” printed centered in the bottom margin. The printer’s information, “The Colonial Press, Philadelphia,” is printed in the bottom right margin.
Artfully framed in a custom-built black wooden frame with UV plexiglas and archival backing.
Framed Dimensions: 42 1/2”H x 29”W x 1 3/8”D.
Accompanied by our company's letter of authenticity.
- Dimensions:Height: 42.5 in (107.95 cm)Width: 29 in (73.66 cm)Depth: 1.38 in (3.51 cm)
- Style:Modern (Of the Period)
- Materials and Techniques:
- Place of Origin:
- Period:1910-1919
- Date of Manufacture:1917
- Condition:Additions or alterations made to the original: Archival framing by Artem Art Services in Colorado Springs, CO in August of 2025. Repaired: Three horizontal holes in the poster along the crease, in the Wilson quote, filled and expertly in-painted. Repaired by previous owner. Wear consistent with age and use. Minor fading.
- Seller Location:Colorado Springs, CO
- Reference Number:Seller: P4751stDibs: LU909746348112
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