ORIGINAL WORLD WAR I POSTER ADVERTISING THE AMERICAN RED CROSS' CHRISTMAS ROLL CALL

(WORLD WAR I) BLASHFIELD, E.H. Poster: Red Cross Christmas Roll Call. Washington: Red Cross, 1918. Chromolithograph, measuring 19 by 28 inches; matted and framed, entire piece measures 36 by 26-1/2 inches. $3500.

Original World War I chromolithographic poster by American artist E.H. Blashfield, featuring a nurse and the American national symbol, Columbia, advertising the American Red Cross' Christmas Roll Call from December 16th to 23rd, 1918.

This striking chromolithograph features Columbia, dressed in red, white, and blue with her sword and American flag shield, writing on a mistletoe-wrapped scroll held by a World War I nurse that reads: "Where Columbia sets her name let every one of you follow her." Columbia is a longstanding personification of America, a counterpart to Uncle Sam. This poster advertises the Red Cross Christmas Roll Call from December 16th to 23rd, 1918, a fundraising campaign that asked each American to donate one dollar to support the troops in Europe during World War I. The campaign was initiated in 1917 and continued annually, driving Red Cross membership from just 17,000 people to 43 million. The artist, Edwin Blashfield, was an acclaimed painter and muralist who is perhaps best known for painting the murals on the dome of the Library of Congress Main Reading Room.

Wear and a few chips to margins (not affecting image), only slight soiling along edges, relined on verso for strengthening. Lovingly presented.