Original vintage workplace motivational poster created during the World War II era by commercial artist Robert Beebe and published by the Elliott Service Company of New York. Measuring 17” x 22”, this striking offset lithograph features a bold, high-contrast mid-century design utilizing vibrant orange and deep purple-brown tones.

The artwork humorously yet directly depicts two factory workers pulling apart a giant wishbone, accompanied by the prominent typography: "WISHING WON'T BRING ORDERS, but Workmanship WILL! Keep Quality up! Keep Costs down!"

These posters were strategically displayed in offices, mills, and manufacturing plants across the United States to encourage worker productivity, high manufacturing standards, and efficiency on the home front. A fantastic piece of mid-century American industrial ephemera and graphic design history, well-suited for framing and collection.

Maker Bio: Robert Beebe

Robert Beebe was a prolific American commercial illustrator and graphic artist best known for his impactful workplace motivational and propaganda posters created during the 1930s and 1940s. Working closely with the Elliott Service Company, Beebe developed a distinctive visual style characterized by strong character illustrations, dynamic typography, and clear, compelling economic messaging aimed at American industrial workers. His works brilliantly capture the intersection of mid-century commercial art and national labor culture.

Historical Information & Interesting Facts

The Elliott Service Company: Founded in New York, the Elliott Service Co. specialized in producing management information, bulletin board displays, and motivational posters for American factories and offices. During World War II, their materials played an essential role in driving home-front industrial output.

Home Front Productivity: Posters like this were a staple of wartime production campaigns. They targeted shop floors to remind laborers that winning the war and securing post-war economic stability depended on minimizing waste, reducing manufacturing costs, and maintaining high craftsmanship.

Design & Medium: Executed as a multi-color offset lithograph, this piece represents a classic example of wartime commercial printing, prized today for its bold color blocking and quintessential Art Deco/mid-century vernacular style.