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Rationing means a fair share for all of us

Poster
1943 (made)
Artist/Maker
Place of origin

Issued by the Office of Price Administration, which was established in 1941 to manage rationing, stabilise prices, and with powers to authorise subsidies for production of scarce but essential commodities, this poster illustrates how not to behave during war. The poster appeals to women's desire to conform, and to be a good American. We are encouraged to sympathise with the woman who has nothing, and to find the woman who takes more than her share objectionable. The image below illustrates how women, and shopkeepers should behave; each woman is being a good housewife, and caring for her family, but by taking her share she is being a responsible citizen and allowing every other American housewife the same opportunity.


Object details

Categories
Object type
TitleRationing means a fair share for all of us (assigned by artist)
Materials and techniques
Lithograph printed in black, white and red
Brief description
Second World War poster issued by the Office of Price Administration. USA, 1943.
Physical description
Poster. (Above) Image of one woman cheated of her share of canned goods as another woman leaves the shop with a box of six cans. (Below) Image of well-stocked shelves with a merchant selling each woman one can.
Dimensions
  • Height: 712mm
  • Width: 560mm
Marks and inscriptions
  • 'Rationing means a fair share for all of us'
  • 'WITHOUT RATIONING' (caption for image)
  • 'WITH RATIONING' (caption for image)
  • 'U.S. Government Printing Office: 1943-O-514175'
  • Office of Price Administration/ Washington, D.C. ([with OPA logo])
Credit line
Gift of the American Friends of the V&A; Gift to the American Friends by Leslie, Judith and Gabri Schreyer and Alice Schreyer Batko
Subjects depicted
Place depicted
Summary
Issued by the Office of Price Administration, which was established in 1941 to manage rationing, stabilise prices, and with powers to authorise subsidies for production of scarce but essential commodities, this poster illustrates how not to behave during war. The poster appeals to women's desire to conform, and to be a good American. We are encouraged to sympathise with the woman who has nothing, and to find the woman who takes more than her share objectionable. The image below illustrates how women, and shopkeepers should behave; each woman is being a good housewife, and caring for her family, but by taking her share she is being a responsible citizen and allowing every other American housewife the same opportunity.
Other number
LS.2405 - Leslie Schreyer Loan Number
Collection
Accession number
E.981-2004

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Record createdOctober 18, 2004
Record URL
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