vintage school posters

I'm a sucker for scientific collectables, from old microscopes, prosthetic eyeballs and medical equipment to opticians' charts and educational posters. I don't own much stuff like this because of my innate miserliness but I still like to look.

I was browsing Present & Correct this morning and spotted a few good things, including these posters. I especially like old charts that you imagine might once have adorned school science labs and classrooms, teaching the children, as they daydreamed and stared at the walls, about the life cycle of a frog, or what their urinary system looks like or how to use correct grammar. Speaking of grammar, I'm not too sure about Peter's Eggs there (£30, above) - I would always say 'fewer' eggs myself or am I wrong? Were they lying to me in English lessons at school? Whatever the case, it bothers me :-). But there is a good selection of these kind of posters at P&C, as well as lots of other papery goodness.



Fruit chart, £75.


1950s eye chart, £100.

If your budget doesn't stretch as far as that you can get some pretty good ones on eBay sometimes, or try your luck haggling at antiques fairs. If you happen to be in Paris, I have seen some good stalls in the flea market, Les Puces de Saint-Ouen. Here are two I found on eBay just now:




Right, I'd better get on with some work!