There is a particular kind of British railway poster that can make a wet Tuesday look like the beginning of a holiday. Tom Purvis was exceptionally good at it.
Railway companies gave artists an unusually good brief: make people want to go somewhere. Purvis answered with simplified figures, large areas of colour and compositions that could work from the other side of a station platform.
We love these posters because they are design objects and bits of social history at the same time. Seaside holidays, domestic tourism and the railway network all sit behind images that are often surprisingly modern.
They were also working posters. Large railway sheets were displayed, handled and stored, so condition can vary considerably. Linen backing and professional conservation are common and should be judged by the quality and extent of the work rather than treated as an automatic negative.
Purvis is a great artist to explore if you usually collect travel by destination. Following the designer instead can take you somewhere completely unexpected.
What to Look For When Collecting Tom Purvis
These were large, working display posters, so condition varies considerably and linen backing is common. Judge conservation work by its quality and extent rather than treating it as an automatic negative — see our conservation guide.