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ATS

Poster
1943 (made)
Artist/Maker
Place of origin

The posters produced to encourage women to sign up for the Auxiliary Territorial Service (ATS) usually emphasised the glamour of the work, and of the women involved. Abram Games produced three designs for recruitment posters for the ATS. His designs rejected the dowdy image that the ATS had at this time, and the woman pictured here is idealised, but not an idol. This poster portrays a serious young woman; the handling of her features recalls classical sculpture, and gives the impression of solidity and strength of character, the very qualities that were promoted by the Service.


Object details

Categories
Object type
TitleATS (generic title)
Materials and techniques
Colour lithograph
Brief description
Recruiting poster for the Auxiliary Territorial Service, designed by Abram Games, 1943, and printed for HMSO by J. Howitt and Son Ltd, England (Nottingham)
Physical description
ATS recruitment poster, depicting the head of a woman wearing a cap with ATS insignia. The woman is uniformly a buff colour, and resembles a classical sculpture in form, on a blue background. Below her in ovular shapes are the letters 'A' (black on red), 'T' (black on white), 'S' (black on blue).
Dimensions
  • Height: 76.3cm
  • Width: 50.7cm
Marks and inscriptions
  • '.A.T.S.'
  • 'A. Games.' (Artist's signature, upper left corner)
  • 'LNER / AUTHORISED / FOR / EXHIBITION / ON / LNER CDS / OWN BOARD / ADVERTISING MANAGER N.E. AREA YORK' (Stamp, below signature)
  • 'Printed for H.M. Stationery Office by J. Howitt & Son Ltd., Nottm. 51-3769' (Printed, lower left-hand corner)
  • 'P.R.84' (Printed, lower right-hand corner)
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
Summary
The posters produced to encourage women to sign up for the Auxiliary Territorial Service (ATS) usually emphasised the glamour of the work, and of the women involved. Abram Games produced three designs for recruitment posters for the ATS. His designs rejected the dowdy image that the ATS had at this time, and the woman pictured here is idealised, but not an idol. This poster portrays a serious young woman; the handling of her features recalls classical sculpture, and gives the impression of solidity and strength of character, the very qualities that were promoted by the Service.
Associated object
E.2149-1946 (Object)
Other number
LS.2050 - Leslie Schreyer Loan Number
Collection
Accession number
E.882-2004

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Record createdMarch 1, 2006
Record URL
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