Six original ‘Keep Calm and Carry On’ posters have been unearthed in a study in a village in Cambridgeshire, and could fetch up to £10,000 when they go under the hammer at Cheffins Auctioneers on 24th February.
The ‘Keep Calm and Carry On’ posters were printed in 1939 by the Ministry of Information in case of a German invasion, but never used, and instead were turned into pulp as part of the war effort. They were ‘rediscovered’ by a bookseller in 2000 in a bookshop in Alnwick and made popular again.
Martin Millard, Director, Cheffins says: “These posters are a remarkable find. There are only a handful of original ‘Keep Calm and Carry On’ posters known to be in existence, the majority of which are held by the National Archives or the Imperial War Museum. Known the world over, the ‘Keep Calm’ slogan is one of Britain’s most famous exports since its rediscovery in 2000 and the phrase has been mass produced and parodied worldwide. To be able to offer an original version of this is highly unusual, and to have six is simply unheard of! It is difficult to put a price on what someone will pay for such an important part of British history.”
The posters have been examined and authenticated by a specialist who has compared the posters with those at the Imperial War Museum.
Estimates range from £800 to £2,500 apiece, depending on size.
They will be sold as part of the Art & Design Sale at Cheffins on 24th February. For more information, contact Cheffins Fine Art on 01223 213343 or visit https://www.cheffins.co.uk/fine-art.htm