White Star Line Olympic and Titanic poster – Montague Birrell Black – 1910

White Star Line Olympic and Titanic poster – Montague Birrell Black – 1910

This vintage White Star Line poster was produced in the run up to the RMS Titanic’s inaugural sailing. The poster was created by the artist, painter and illustrator Montague Birrell Black for the Liverpool-based shipping company Oceanic Steam Navigation Company, more commonly  known by its brand name the White Star Line.

Because of the disasterous maiden voyage of the RMS Titanic, it has become one of, if not, the most famous ship in the world. However, in 1912 it was the RMS Olympic that was the lead ship of White Star’s trio of Olympic-class ocean liners that included the Titanic and the Brittanic.  The Olympic was the largest ocean liner in the world between 1910 and 1913, with the exception of the brief period the Titanic was in service.

To support the Birrell Black image on the poster, were details about the weight of the two largest steamers in the world along with information of the sailings to both New York and Boston. It also supplied details about the Thomas Cook office you could get information.

Given the disastrous events of the Titanic’s maiden voyage on 15 April 1912, the White Star Line understandably recalled as many of these posters as they could and destroyed them. The result being that now very few original copies of this poster exist. The posters scarcity and its connection to the Titanic has ensured that original copies of this Birrell Black poster fetch high prices when they come up for auction.

Back in 2016 a couple were demolishing a wall in their home in Wales and came across an original copy. When the poster went to auction it fetched over $4000. However, this figure pales into insignificance when compared to one sold at Henry Aldridge & Son’s Transport Memorabilia sale in Devizes, Wiltshire in 2020.  where an original White Star Line poster sold for £36,000.

Our posters are carefully and professionally created from vintage originals. Whilst great care is taken in the production of these posters, we also try to maintain a vintage feel, so there may be small imperfections, fold marks, scuffs, tears, or marks that were part of the original poster master. If these do appear they should be visible on the larger views of the item on this listing. The originals of many of the posters we offer can cost many thousands of pounds, so whilst these posters look great, especially framed and mounted on a wall, they are intended as a fun, affordable reproductions and not intended fine art prints.

The 50x70cm version has been specially produced to be used in conjunction with Ikea’s 50x70cm Ribba picture frame which currently retails for around £12. So you can bag a bargain of print and poster for just £22.