A collection of nearly 30 “show-stopping” First World War recruitment posters will be auctioned in Montrose at the weekend.
The items are from a collection belonging to the owner of the Tillypronie Estate near Tarland in Aberdeenshire and will be available to bid on at Taylor’s Auction Rooms —alongside a wide range of other items such as medals, antiques, and jewellery.
The posters, which were showcased in the billiard room of the estate, were a powerful recruitment tool for the British army in the fight against the central powers of Germany and Austria-Hungary.
They bear slogans such as the famous Lord Kitchener quote: “Be honest with yourself. Be certain that your so-called reason is not an excuse.”
Taylor’s saleroom manager Jonathan Taylor said the posters are the star attraction.
He said: “They have piqued the interest of everyone who has come in to have a look at the items up for grabs.
“They are fantastically interesting and have been a bit of a show-stopper. It’s quite scary when you think about it because it was basically moral blackmail.
“They weighed heavily on the consciences of young men in the country at the time. I’m not sure anyone would want the entire collection in the home but certainly they would make an interesting talking point.”
The posters, which are valued at between £100 and £300, were targeted at young men, willing them to sign up for what would become one of the deadliest conflicts in history.
“They were good at advertising, there’s no doubt about that,” Mr Taylor added.
“It’s only now that you look at them and think, ‘God, they are a bit scary’. I think they should do quite well as there are not that many of them. They are quite unusual and they all come from the same collection.”
A medal given to Lance Corporal Wood of the Second Battalion of the Gordon Highlanders is also up for grabs, valued between £400 and £600, as well as a variety of swords and pistols, fishing items, furniture and books.
The £10.5 million, 12,000-acre Tillypronie Estate estate was rumoured to have interested former Prime Minister David Cameron when it was advertised for sale earlier this year with it ultimately being snapped by a mystery buyer.
The auction takes place on Saturday from 10am at Taylor’s Auction Rooms on Brent Avenue.
