abram games RDI OBE 1914 - 1996

 

newly installed April 2019 - English Heritage blue plaque at Abram's Hampstead home

the rare 1942 original poster on the far right above Your Talk May Kill Comrades is currently available for sale, p.o.a.

and we have the rare 2nd version 1942 available for sale in our shop - p.o.a
(with original folds, unrestored!)

Abram Games was one of the great poster designers of the 20th

century. His contribution to the development of graphic communication

was remarkable for having been made within the circumstances of

propaganda communication during WW2. Images such as Your Talk

May Kill Your Comrades or Don't Crow About What You Know About

applied modern design sophistication to the primary messages of

wartime in a witty and effective way.

 

The war established Games as a master of poster design. He continued to

work until the 1980s and produced a distinguished body of work for London

Transport, BOAC, the GPO and other British organisations. At the same time

Games worked tirelessly for Jewish causes and made some remarkable

contributions to Hebrew typography through book design. Abram Games

also designed an improved Cona coffee maker that managed to be both

functional and attractive.

 

Abram Games was the winner of a competition to design an emblem for

the 1951 Festival Of Britain. His combination of Britannia's profile, compass

points and bunting created an emblem that was symbolic of both magisterial

decorum (history and tradition but not of royalty or militarism) and light-

heartedness (social tolerance and humour). This was a perfect symbol for

post-war transformation and of Britain making it.

 

The images on this page are testimony to the enduring quality of Games'

poster design and offers a chance to re-examine a body of work that gave

visual expression to both the efforts and experience of the war and to the

hopes and ideals it was fought for.

 

"Abram Games was the last master of the drawn lithograph

before photography replaced traditional techniques in poster

design" Conran Directory of Design

 

 

Horizon is available for sale p.o.a





original Abram Games c.1950s double pack playing cards, produced for the Financial Times,
as new, unopened,
in original box,
£40


 

The copyright of all these images is owned by the Estate of Abram Games.

The text on page was written by Paul Rennie and first published by Conde Nast.

Paul did this short interview between friends Abram Games and Tom Eckersley at Abram's home,

which was published by Affiche in 1994/5. (click on pages below to read)


 

the first major study of Abram Games

by Naomi Games, Catherine Moriarty and June Rose.

abram games poster journeys

to view books for sale - please click here

1946 paperback with cover by Abram Games. available at £10

Abram Games Careless Talk poster WW2


WW2 original framed poster
£450

Abram Games original poster Israel

original poster for BEA to Israel,1956,
(framed)
£650

signed print of Portugal,
c.1950's
sold

 

and pack of 16 cards showing posterwork spanning the designer's career

Abram Games poster cards £9 per pack


 

Whilst best known for poster design Abram games also made a striking

contribution to information design. Throughout WW2 he produced a series

of information maps published by the Army Bureau of Current Affairs.

These double-sided sheets provided information about the war and, on the

reverse, some aspect of service of civilian life during the conflict. These

sheets were pubished fortnightly and were to form the basis of discussion

about British war aims . The sheets were supported by detailed notes

available to the officers.

 

The problems associated with presenting a variety of different types of

information in a clear and coherent way anticipate those faced by

contemporary web designers.

(thankyou to Lorna for photo)

 

NEW EXHIBITION 2019:
The Art of Persuasion - Wartime Posters by Abram Games
AT NATIONAL ARMY MUSEUM - APRIL - NOVEMBER 2019

**Paul will be giving a talk at the National Army Museum on 'The Power of the Poster: Abram Games & ABCA on 7th August at 6pm.

 

see also our pages on

Tom Eckersley

F H K Henrion

Hans Schleger

Barnett Freedman

www.rennart.co.uk

 

and see also:

http://www.abramgames.com