c.1918 Lest They Perish Near East Relief W.B. King WWI Armenia Syria Persia

Date: c.1918
Artist: King, William Berdan
Size (in): 18.5” x 12.5”
Size (cm): 47 x 31.8
Condition: B+
Linen backed: No

This antique original WWI era poster was created by the artist William Berdan King for the American Committee For Relief In The Near East which sought to raise $30,000,000 for the support of refugees in Armenia, Greece, Syria and Persia. King’s image of a young mother carrying her baby against the background of a war-torn landscape appears under the title LEST THEY PERISH.

This poster is not dated but the organization founded in 1915 as the American Committee for Armenian and Syrian Relief briefly operated under the name American Committee For Relief In The Near East in 1918 and 1919 so we would date this poster to that c.1918 time period. This organization is still operating today as the Near East Foundation with a greatly increased scope of operations beyond the original mission of helping refugees from Armenia, Greece, Syria and Persia. The lower margin is printed “Conwell Graphics Corporation, N.Y.”

This antique original poster has no tape or pinholes and was probably never hung up or used. The poster shows moderate handling wear including very slight creasing in the image area. The colors are strong and overall condition is very good.