It's up to all of us 1947

Striking, surreal, and direct, this 1947 original poster designed by Victor B. Wells is a rare example of post-war American industrial messaging that blends dramatic visual metaphor with civic urgency. A black fighter jet nosedives through stormy clouds, symbolically crashing into an airborne cash register, which flashes the message: “NO SALE.”

Published in the wake of World War II and entering the early Cold War era, this poster served as part of a domestic campaign against industrial waste, distributed by the U.S. Department of Commerce to factories and workplaces nationwide. Its message is unambiguous: “Sales nosedive when waste-inflated costs give customers less for their money.” A warning to workers, managers, and manufacturers alike that inefficiency threatens both profit and production.

The composition is pure 1940s propaganda design—leveraging aeronautical imagery, looming clouds, and emotionally charged typography to instill a sense of collective responsibility. The stark call to action—“Let’s stop waste. It’s up to all of us!”—aligns with the era’s broader efforts to transition from wartime production to peacetime stability without losing momentum or economic discipline.

Today, this piece is a powerful artifact of America’s postwar industrial culture—valued not only for its aesthetic and historical relevance but also for its rare tone: a blend of motivational rhetoric and surreal design.

War - 39-45 - Photomontage - United States

Let's stop waste

Printed by The Sheldon claire & co in Chicago

Good condition, slight restorations