Too Many Crooks

June 20, 2010 5:08 PM

Recent work in London's Notting Hill station uncovered original advertising posters untouched since the late 1950's (via).
posted by jontyjago (17 comments total)

these make me so happy.
posted by PinkMoose at 5:14 PM on June 20, 2010

These are great. What's the number for chartering an elephant?
posted by arcticseal at 5:15 PM on June 20, 2010

The art for The Horse's Mouth poster is fantastic. Nice set.
posted by heyho at 5:17 PM on June 20, 2010

Awesome. I guess the New World's Fair posters were, like, held for budget.
posted by mwhybark at 5:17 PM on June 20, 2010 [1 favorite]

Oh for Christ's sake.

New World's Fair
posted by mwhybark at 5:18 PM on June 20, 2010

Wow, they were virtually ALL illustrations. Love that mid-century style. Thanks for the post.
posted by flapjax at midnite at 5:25 PM on June 20, 2010

It's always a cool surprise when urban archeology turns up something old and preserved.

See also the Poster and Artwork Collection at the London Transport Museum. (previously)
posted by carsonb at 5:37 PM on June 20, 2010

If I were a rat I would have eaten those already!
posted by not_on_display at 5:37 PM on June 20, 2010

Man. London bus and coach transportation used to be awesome.
posted by Uppity Pigeon #2 at 6:38 PM on June 20, 2010

The London Science Museum did a followup blog post about the exhibition featured in one of the posters. Awesome.
posted by mrbill at 6:49 PM on June 20, 2010

I saw that and was immediately enamored with the poster for The Horse's Mouth. I discovered that movie a few months ago and I loved it.
posted by charlie don't surf at 7:03 PM on June 20, 2010

Lovely.
posted by Artw at 9:39 PM on June 20, 2010

I kind of don't believe it. After the vintage cellphone/atari ads the other day, I'm leery that these are just another well-designed "what if" scenario.
posted by redsparkler at 10:34 PM on June 20, 2010

oooh that science museum poster is gorgeous. I would totally hang that in my living room.
posted by 5_13_23_42_69_666 at 1:15 AM on June 21, 2010

These are absolutely wonderful. Thanks for posting this!
posted by ukdanae at 3:57 AM on June 21, 2010

I kind of don't believe it. After the vintage cellphone/atari ads the other day, I'm leery that these are just another well-designed "what if" scenario.

No, they're real and are official LU photos. As I think Mike says on his flikr page, the tunnel was bricked off when the lifts were replaced at the end of the fifties and they've been in place since then.

I've not seen them myself, but I know Mike and how he would have been in a position to take them.*

Things like this aren't massively uncommon throughout the network and LU try to make sure photos (at least) get taken whenever stuff gets uncovered during renovation work.



*_{His name may ring a bell with anyone who read the article I wrote on the London Underground Typeface that got FPPed a while back}
posted by garius at 6:13 AM on June 21, 2010

So what happens next? Are they considered worth preserving?
posted by IndigoJones at 2:07 PM on June 21, 2010