Tag: Tom Purvis

Designer Desire: Tom Purvis

Montage of Tom Purvis poster designs | H is for Home

Last week, we wrote about a vintage metal advertising sign that we bought recently. It was designed by Tom Purvis who produced a whole host of advertising material during his career.

Tom Purvis (1888-1959) specialised in designing travel posters; he produced over 100 of them for London & North Eastern Railway (LNER) for whom he worked for twenty years.

Other organisations he designed advertising material for include Austin Reed’s (the gentlemen’s outfitters), the British Industries Fair (aka BIF – an exhibition centre in Birmingham), the National Savings Movement and Canadian Pacific.

He also created the iconic It’s Up to You 2nd World War propaganda poster of Britannia.

Portrait of Tom Purviscredit

Additional image credits:
Invaluable

Soako

Vintage Soako metal advertising sign

We’ve been sourcing vintage metal and enamel advertising signs over recent months. They’re the kind of vintage item that works well in our old cottage. In previous homes, we’ve incorporated mid century modern, op art and the more ‘groovy’ 1960s items. However, they just don’t ‘sit well’ here, but we do love the interest and aged character that vintage items bring… so these signs are one way in which we’re doing it.

Detail from vintage Soako metal advertising sign

We bought this Soako soap powder sign with our bathroom area in mind. It dates from the 1920s era and was designed by Tom Purvis. He’s famous for those classic railway destination posters of the day. Come to think of it, we’ll have to feature him in one of our weekend Designer Desire posts to showcase more of his work.

Detail from vintage Soako metal advertising sign showing the signature of Tom Purvis

It has lots of bumps and scratches, but we don’t mind that… it’s 100 years old! The design is still clear and colours are bright. Soako does the work, eh? It will need to, judging by the filthy state that Justin gets in doing up this place!