"Join the Air Service and Serve in France" Vintage WWI Poster by J. Paul Verrees, 1917

This is a very scarce WWI recruiting poster for the Army Air Service. The poster dramatically features a two-man open cockpit biplane with American and French markings flying against a red sky background. In the foreground, two uniformed spotters look on. The poster reads "Join the Air Service and Serve in France" with further urging "Do It Now" at bottom left. The poster is signed and dated, in stone, "J. Paul Verrees 1917" at the lower right corner.

The poster was issued as a recruitment material for the United States Army Air Service, which was the aerial warfare branch of the U.S. Army between 1918 and 1926 and was a forerunner of the U.S. Air Force. The branch was established as a branch of the U.S. War Department during WWI and replaced the Aviation Section Signal Corps. This dynamic poster encourages onlookers to join the cause and enlist with the service. Posters such as this rare example were used to attract more than 40,000 applicants, 15,000 of whom would go on to complete their training and serve in France. The Army Air Service, like the Navy, was dependent on recruiting; however, only the Army had a selective enlistment system.

The poster is printed by Ketterlinus in Philadelphia and was designed and drawn on stone and signed and dated by the artist J. Paul Verrees. The poster was printed in 1917.

CONDITION: 

Original color lithograph, in good condition considering age and past use. Expertly repaired tears at edges, some affecting image, with replaced loss at upper right edge, minor creases and abrasions at edges. Color is still vibrant, with very minimal fading. 

Poster has been artfully presented in a custom-built black wooden frame.