Shell Guide to Warwickshire Poster, England by Rowland Hilder 1950s vintage, The Key to the Countryside, educational wall art and decor

Shell Guide to Warwickshire Poster, England by Rowland Hilder 1950s vintage, The Key to the Countryside, educational wall art and decor

This is an original 1950s poster from the Shell Oil Company to complement the famous "Shell Guides to ... " where the destination might be a shire, county or a region within the UK.
The posters heralded a time in the 1950s-60s when Britons were taking to the roads in their thousands as motoring became cheaper and more widespread. Shell guides were first launched in the 1930s and illustrated by famous artists. The images gained cult following and were so popular they were printed as posters and used in schools.
Dimensions: 30 in x 20 in (77 cm x 51 cm)
Condition: some poorly repaired tears, see photos.

"You can be sure of Shell, the key to the Countryside"

Rowland Hilder was an English landscape artist, and book illustrator. In 1929 Hilder was commissioned by Shell Mex Ltd. to illustrate "Then and Now", a travel guide which started a long relationship with the company with posters sponsored by them. In 1953 when asked by the publisher George Rainbird to provide background landscapes to a series of wildflowers by another artist, Hilder showed him pictures of flowers by his wife Edith. Rainbird then commissioned them both to create the Shell "Flowers of the Countryside" series. Demand was so great that Shell set up an office to deal with correspondence and 13 million plates were published.

Because of the age of these posters, and their use in the classroom, there are areas of wear and tear, particularly on the edges. I have done my best to take photos where they are torn or stained. The good news is that when framed, the tears press up well against glass, and edges can be hidden by mats.

When framed these colourful and detailed posters, with vibrant colours can become a centre piece for any room, to remind us of a simpler time.

This poster will be rolled up and delivered in a cardboard tube for protection.

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