Walking the line : some amazing shipping posters

It seems a while since we touched on shipping posters via the intriguingly named Odin Rosinvinge,

Flicking through the Christies Sale , one name that sticks out like a super hero or Bond villain is Montague Black.

Montague B. Black, also known by the name Montague Birrell Black, was a renowned British painter, illustrator and poster artist best known for work in producing watercolor artworks to serve as the basis of lithographs for the White Star Line, the British Underground Group, and the four major British Railway Lines.

Born in Stockwell, London, England, on March 29, 1884, he identified his chosen profession as a “Lithographic Artist” as early as the age of seventeen.  He was educated at Stockwell College, London.

Black was extremely active as an lithographic artist between 1910 and 1936, creating, among numerous other posters, an illustration of the HMS Titanic and her sister Ship, HMS Olympic

Two posters that are on offer next week

Montague Black White Star
Montague Black White Star

This is very untypical : there’s no ship,  looks Like NYC to me. Also unusually, its a poster within a poster.

The other offering is pure vanilla in comparison although it does show a quaint game of something like deck quoits in progress

Montague Black : Australia
Montague Black : Australia

Why not pop in via South Africa ? These ship journeys were certainly epic undertakings. I am in the midst of purchasing an interesting shipping poster : more on that later

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