NRS-17528 | Poster advertising the celebrations for the opening of the Sydney Harbour Bridge

Full description

This poster by Douglas Annand and Arthur (Bob) Whitmore was used to advertise the celebrations for the opening of the Sydney Harbour Bridge in 1932. The poster is titled “Sydney Bridge Celebrations” and contains the date of the Bridge’s opening on 19th March 1932 and the statement “Be There!”. The poster also contains the names of the two artists as well as the name of the printer (Simmons Ltd Sydney). (1)

The poster consists of the Sydney Harbour Bridge in the background with a procession on the main deck and boats under the bridge. The foreground of the poster consists of a lifesaver holding a flag and standing beside a sitting couple. The title and other information are located under the three characters in the foreground.

It would appear the poster was designed for the Committee for Sydney Harbour Bridge Celebrations that had been established to organise the celebrations for the opening of the Bridge on 19 March 1932. (1) The poster’s image was also used on some of the Committee’s correspondence, although it had the additional title at the top of “Australia is Calling” followed by “Sunshine, Happiness, Opportunity”.

The poster was reproduced in 1982 by the Department of Main Roads to advertise the celebrations commemorating the fiftieth anniversary of the Bridge’s opening and these reproductions are NRS 9780. The reproductions contained the additional information: “50 years later we’re celebrating again. Come and join the fun on 19-20-21 March 1982.”

Endnotes
1. Museum of Applied Arts and Sciences, Sydney Harbour Bridge poster (1982, 50th anniversary reissued edition), https://collection.maas.museum/object/158890 (accessed 17 September 2018).
2. Spanning 50 years: something on paper, number 13: Sydney Harbour Bridge golden anniversary, 19 March 1982, Associated Pulp and Paper Mills Limited, 1982;