A Collection of Motivational Poster Cards (Poster Sales Letters)

Chicago. C.J. Howard. 1927. Collection is contained in original imprinted cardboard C.J. Howard packaging box. 7"x4.75" when closed (horizontal folding card).7"x9.5" when opened. Each card presents a striking Art Deco multicolored lithograph and various coloured borders and decorations printed upon folded heavy card stock. Early in the 1920s Charles Mather, who worked for his family’s Chicago printing house, the Mather Company, took an idea brought to him by one of the firm’s salesmen, Charles Howard Rosenfeld. What Rosenfeld proposed was a series of posters whose focus was to give workers incentive to work better and to work harder. Mather called these prints, “Constructive Organization Posters.” These posters were made to be placed on office and factory walls and were expected to inspire workers to do their best. Mather sold his posters by subscription and produced more than 300 varieties between 1923 and 1929.In 1925 Rosenfeld and another employee broke from Mather to form their own company, the C. J. Howard Company, to sell incentive cards to be displayed on desks in a re-useable easel. These cards and posters were printed as multicolored lithographs to produce easily readable images accompanied by tagline messages promoting such admirable qualities as teamwork, punctuality, loyalty, and safety." -Rockwell Museum"At the dawn of the 20th century, managers had been skeptical about using visual images as communication tools because their appeals to the emotions contradicted prevailing Protestant notions of self-discipline. By deploying motivational posters and illustrated booklets managers began to loosen their former dependence on rationalism and to explore the potential of aesthetics to regulate the emotional environment. In doing so they honed their abilities to define the “correct” forms of selfhood in the factory and to habituate workers to the kinds of values and behaviors that managers deemed appropriate and necessary for the harmonization of workplace relations. This collection represents Motivational Aesthetics- the design rationales and sales techniques of the Syndicate’s two main companies, Mather (which sold motivational posters) and C.J. Howard (which sold motivational booklets for foremen) as a case study of how managers and motivational specialists honed their abilities to cultivate workplace cooperation in the 1920s. Drawing from recent studies of emotion and affect omne may interpret the post-World War I factory as a realm of aesthetic training where habits and dispositions were actively shaped."-David Gray Cards are in Very Fine, pristine condition, retaining their original clarity and luminesence. Box presents repaired splitting to both horizontal sides and various minor rubbing - still quite functional and bright. A stunning and complete gathering of an important component of American Business,Labor and Advertising history. Only one other extant complete collection found - in the holdings of the Smithsonian Institution.