The holiday season is finally here, which means I’m stocking up on mailing supplies and rereading the USPS shipping requirements for holiday mail. I think these British mail posters are perfect for this time of year, I found them through the British Postal Museum and Archive on Flickr. The one on the left makes me smile in particular, because twine wrapped packages are pretty much a relic here in the US. The poster on the left is from 1937, and was used to suggest good mailing practices for British post. The poster on the right is from 1957, and I love how it seems to mirror the other illustration, despite being designed twenty years later. Wouldn’t it be cool to see more artist commissioned posters for US Mail?
Plein Jane
I love these, Erin, and you’re right that the USPS should do similar things. It would help customers, support the artistic community and make them appear a little hipper to the generation that didn’t grow up with snail mail as the only service. The twine-wrapped package reminded me of my father-in-law (snuffle), who used twine not only to send packages but to secure just about anything else for traveling. It must be in the genes, because my husband always has some on hand. Thanks for this!
erin dollar
So glad you enjoyed this post! Loved hearing your story about the twine, too sweet 🙂