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Second World War propaganda posters fetch £15,000

Tuesday 23 March 2010 16:34 GMT
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A rare collection of Second World War propaganda posters sold for almost £15,000 when they went under the hammer today.

The 110 prints, bearing morale-boosting slogans such as Keep Calm And Carry On, were sold in 11 lots at Wallis and Wallis Auction Galleries in Lewes, East Sussex.

Bidding clerk Lyn Hayward said the total of £14,590 that was fetched was "well in excess of what was expected".

The posters, described as being in mint condition, were brought into the auction house by a relative of a worker who saved them from being thrown away during a clear-out at a print firm.

Many of the prints were part of the Back Them Up range of posters aimed at encouraging civilians to join the armed forces.

Others were emblazoned with extracts from some of Winston Churchill's speeches, such as "We shall not fail".

Mrs Hayward said a pair of prints, one bearing the warning, Tell Nobody - Not Even Her, and the other, Careless Talk Costs Lives, fetched the highest single bid of £2,700.

She said the posters were believed to have been sold to a range of private collectors and there had also been interest from a number of museums.

Auctioneer Roy Butler previously said he expected each lot to sell for up to £250 and had not known of such a collection going on sale before.

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