Abram Games was one of the twentieth century’s great graphic designers. His work is now a fascinating record of social history. For over 60 years he produced some of Britain’s most memorable images including the ‘Blonde Bombshell’ ATS poster of 1941.
His clients included the United Nations, London Transport, British Airways, Shell, the Financial Times and Guinness. He designed stamps for Britain, Jersey and Israel, book jackets for Penguin books and emblems for the Festival of Britain and the Queen’s Award for Industry. His influence even reached the infant television service in 1953 when he created the first animated BBC on-screen ident.
In the Second World War he was appointed ‘Official War Poster Artist’ and designed 100 posters. His Cona Coffee makers are design classics and his inventions include a portable hand-held duplicating machine and a hand held copying device.
All images © Estate of Abram Games
This is part 1 of a 3-part post on the works of Abram Games:
Abram’s working life began in the east end of London. He initially started working in his father’s photographic studio. Here, he honed his skills with the aerograph, a tool that would define his early work. Aged 16, he enrolled at St Martin’s School of Art but left disillusioned after only two terms. However, he continued to study life drawing at evening classes.
He had a four-year stint in a commercial art studio but was sacked for being too rebellious. His first freelance commission came from Frank Pick at London Transport. By the time he was called up for army service in 1940, 24 of his posters had been published.
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| 1935 Air Mail |
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| 1935-36 Friary Ales And Stouts |
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| 1936 LCC Classes (London County Council) 47 x 30 cm |
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| 1936-37 Galleries Exhibitions Museums (unpublished) |
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| 1937 A Train Every 90 Seconds London Transport 101.6 x 63.5 cm |
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| 1938 Invest Co-operative Permanent Building Society |
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| 1939 Illustrated Twopence Every Wednesday |
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| 1939 Spanish Youthship Appeal Poster for the National Joint Committee for Spanish Relief |
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| 1939-45 Night & Day Brush The Cobwebs Away 74.7 x 49.2 cm |
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| 1939-45 I’m Looking For You Fever Malaria |
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| 1940s Visit Israel – Land of the Bible 75 x 49.8 cm |
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| 1941 Join the ATS Auxiliary Territorial Service |
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| 1941 Join the Royal Guard Armoured Corps 76 x 50.3 cm |
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| 1941 Keep a Guard on What You Say 74.4 x 49.5 cm |
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| 1941 one of our fighters is missing.. If You Are OFF Work With An Accident |
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| 1941 radio location Train with the Army or with the A.T.S. |
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| 1941-42 Blood Donors are needed urgently to save these lives 66.3 x 49 cm |
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| 1941-45 Use Spades Not Ships Grow Your Own Food And Supply Your Own Cookhouse 74.5 x 49.1 cm |
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| c1941-45c Blood Donors Now 30 Minutes Of Your Time A Lifetime To Somebody Else 74.5 x 48.7 cm |
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| 1942 Your Britain Fight for it Now 51 x 75 cm |
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| 1942 A Postmark Betrayed This H.Q… Use The Army Post Office |
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| 1942 A.T.S. encouraging recruitment for the Auxilliary Territorial Service during the Second World War 72.4 x 48.6 cm |
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| 1942 Grow Your Own Food supply your own cookhouse 76 x 49.1 cm |
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| 1942 His Rifle Will Fire, Will Mine? Care Of Arms Is Care Of Life |
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| 1942 Horse-Play With Weapons May End Like This… |
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| 1942 Take a Pride in Being Fighting Fit |
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| 1942 Talk Kills 50.2 x 37.7 cm |
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| 1942 Talk Kills 50.2 x 37.7 cm |
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| 1942 Your Britain – Fight For It Now 52 x 74.8 cm |
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| 1942 Your Britain – Fight For It Now 50.5 x 74.5 cm |
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| 1942 Your Talk May Kill Your Comrades 74.7 x 48.2 cm |
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| c1942 Our Jungle Fighters Want Socks Please Knit Now 76.2 x 50.8 cm |
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| 1943 ATS (Auxiliary Territorial Service) 76.3 x 50.7 cm |
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| 1943 Blood Donors. If He Should Fall Is Your Blood There To Save Him? 37.1 x 24.1 cm |
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| 1943 education new knowledge new worlds new pleasures |
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| 1943 He Talked. They Died. World War II propaganda against careless talk |
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| 1943-44 Target for Tomorrow No.9 The Rehousing Of Britain |