Skip to product information
1 of 1

A Careless Word A Needless Sinking

A Careless Word A Needless Sinking

ID# 10158
Anton O Fischer
1943
22.25" x 28"
(57cm x 71cm)
Regular price $600 USD
Regular price Sale price $600 USD
Sale Sold out
Shipping calculated at checkout.

This poster was designed by Anton Otto Fischer (1882-1962) in 1942 for the Office of War Information, commonly known as OWI. The OWI was created in 1942 and was operative until 1945. President Roosevelt established the OWI during WWII to both meet the demands of the American public for news, as well as resolve American apathy towards the war and the Allied Nations. One of the main functions the OWI was war propaganda, and it created 430 posters for the home front from 1942 to 1945.

This poster from 1942 is one example of OWI's war propaganda. The image depicts a group of men, two of them badly injured, rowing away from the sinking ship in flames in the background. Fischer created a powerful and dramatic image with deep colors that reflects the potential impact of careless talk that could have been intercepted by the enemy and used against our troops.

Anton Otto Fischer was born in Germany, but arrived at the age of 15 to America. He worked as a sailor for a few years before becoming the assistant to artist Arthur Burdetter Frost. He traveled to Paris in 1906 to study painting and moved back to New York in 1908, where he opened his first studio. Anton Otto Fischer started working as a freelance illustrator for a few magazines and books such as Moby Dick and other classic works of sea literature. During WWII, he became artist laureate of the United States Coast Guard and Merchant Marine, being sworn in as a Lieutenant Commander in the Coast Guard. His works for the Government during the war were focused on the Costal Guard, trying mainly to emphasize the importance of maintaining secrecy surrounding the sailings of merchant vessels, as in this poster.

This is an Original Vintage Poster; it is not a reproduction. This poster is conservation mounted, linen backed, and in excellent condition. We guarantee the authenticity of all of our posters.

Shipping Info

We ship internationally and insure all deliveries. Learn about our methods for shipping & more.

FAQs

See answers to our most common questions, here

Looking to Sell?

We are always interested in acquiring special pieces. Let's get in touch!

View full details
Orangina Vintage Posters

What Does 'Original' Mean?

We only deal in original vintage posters, never reproductions. This means that every poster is from the original print run, in the year listed in the description. Everything we sell comes with an individually signed certificate of authenticity, which we fully guarantee.

Learn More
  • If there's anything you want to know about posters, vintage or more modern, there's nothing Mr Ross doesn't know. His open and friendly manner helps one to choose the most suitable material whether for decoration, investment or whatever... I can't recommend him highly enough.

    - Simon

  • Just wanted to say thanks for the poster. You sent it on Thursday and it was delivered the following Monday (nearly quicker than it took us to get home) to our house in Perth, Australia. We have just had it framed. We love it; it goes perfectly with the room.

    - Kasia & David

  • The Ross Gallery has the best selection of vintage posters I have ever seen. Seriously, if you are in the market, they are the people. And, they know everything there is to know about the posters' provenance.

    - James