After the United States entered World War I in April 1917, base hospitals were mobilized at universities and civilian hospitals across the country. In October 1917, the American Red Cross authorized the University of Washington to organize an army hospital, with the provision that the local Seattle Chapter raise $50,000 to equip the unit.
The War Relief Bazaar was the brainchild of Frank Waterhouse, a Seattle shipping magnate. The Seattle Girls War Work Association, headed by Gladys Waterhouse and Katherine Kittinger, organized the event at the Seattle Arena and Hippodrome in December 1917. The elaborately decorated Christmas bazaar was designed and constructed by Seattle architect Carl F. Gould. More than 12,500 volunteers contributed their efforts, and the event attracted over 10,000 Seattleites a day. Donations of goods and services were solicited from Seattle businesses and leading citizens, and a jewelry drive was held for donations of gold and silver. The Moran Brothers, local shipbuilders, made a donation of $16,000, and Frank Waterhouse donated $10,000.
Over $100,000 was raised, and $50,000 was given to Red Cross Headquarters in Washington D.C. for the purpose of establishing Base Hospital No. 50. The University of Washington unit became the last base hospital authorized by the Red Cross and the War Department. The remainder of the funds was used to support military dependents in King and Kitsap counties.
This artificial collection consists of eleven original posters created by professional and amateur local artists as part of a poster design contest to advertise the Seattle Girls War Relief Bazaar. All posters are the original artwork for the competition, with the exception of the winning poster, by artist Anita Miller, which is a reproduction printed by Pioneer Print Co. of Seattle. Miller's poster appeared in shop windows around town advertising the upcoming bazaar. With minor exceptions noted in the inventory below, all of the posters include the text "Seattle Girls War Relief Bazaar - Arena-Hippodrome - Dec. 17-22," plus original artwork. Some of the designs reflect the Art Deco style, utilizing themes representing patriotism, optimism, and faith in social progress. The collection also includes one sign soliciting goods to be sold at the Bazaar.
The collection is open to the public by appointment.
The Museum of History & Industry is the owner of the materials in the Sophie Frye Bass Library and makes available reproductions for research, publication, and other uses. Written permission must be obtained from MOHAI before any reproduction use. The museum does not necessarily hold copyright to all of the materials in the collections. In some cases, permission for use may require seeking additional authorization from the copyright owners.
Seattle Girls War Relief Bazaar Poster Collection, Museum of History & Industry, Seattle
Ten of the posters were found in the MOHAI collection and are of unknown provenance. Two of the posters are from a donation of a number of World War I posters, MOHAI accession 1956.1124. These posters were displayed in the window of R. C. Erskine and Co. during World War I for war drives. They were given by donor R.C. Erskine in 1956.
The posters were gathered together as an artificial collection by the repository. All of the posters were encapsulated in mylar as part of larger poster preservation project undetaken in 2008.
This collection is indexed under the following headings in the online catalog. Researchers desiring materials about related topics, persons, or places should search the catalog using these headings.
This four-color printed poster has an image of a woman in a hat, wearing a red scarf and green dress, and holding a basket filled with holiday presents; a soldier with bandaged head and arm in a sling is behind her, with coins and bills falling down the left hand side. Signed in lower right "Anita Miller - 17." Stamped in red in lower left "Pioneer Show Print Co., Seattle."
This poster by Anita Miller won first prize in the contest for the best poster to advertise the Bazaar.
This original poster art is done in marker, with a geometic design in red, orange, and green on a blue background. Signed in lower margin "C.C. Martin."
This artwork shows a small comic masked figure in a blue and green cape, on a background of vertical red and white stripes, with white stars on a black field above. The figure is flanked by two silhouettes, of a sailor and a soldier on left and right, respectively; all three are standing on a black and white checkered floor. Signed in lower right corner "Tunander." Inscription on back: Ruth Tunander, 438-E 72, Seattle, U of W.
This design has a stylized graphic of a red ship and white sail with dollar signs, with yellow rays of light and a pair of white birds in a blue sky. Signed in lower right corner "L. Graham." Inscription on back, Louise Graham, U of W, 4647, Rustic Pl.
This largely green and black artwork shows a seated boy in winter clothing at right and a seated girl knitting at left. Signed "J.E." at boy's feet. Inscriptions on back: J.C. Ely, U of W
In the top middle of this poster is the figure of a woman in a nurse's uniform; behind her head is with a white circle with radiating lines and a red cross in the center. At her feet on the left is a wounded man in brown uniform with his right arm in a sling and his left foot bandaged, on the right is a woman in blue with a baby in her arms looking up at the central figure. Behind them is a background of red and black with an item of artillery and a fallen man. Image is signed "F. Jacobs" and in pencil in the lower right corner is written "Frank Jacobs." Inscription on back: Frank Jacobs Knickerbocker Hotel Main 2790
The top half of this poster shows a woman in white sitting between two white columns on a red bridge, with an orange sunburst overhead. On either side are red and green columns on a black background. Initials "JBM" in blue area under bridge. Inscription in lower right corner: J.B. Matheson. Inscription on back: Johanna B. Matheson, 2021 E. Mercer St., Seattle
This black and white artwork shows a profile view of a female nurse sitting in a chair, her back to the left edge of the frame, watching three hospital beds with wounded soldiers; two side tables with flowers stand between the beds. Signed in lower right corner "Aileen Gillette." Handwritten on back: (Miss) Aileen Gillette, 1022 Union St, Seattle
This artwork is painted on a brown background, with an image inside a central circle depicting Uncle Sam carrying a provisions basket and a sheaf of wheat to a woman and child; Uncle Sam and the woman and child are standing on two separate islands with a blue sea between them. This poster has slightly different text than the others, with the words "Allied Relief Bazaar" drawn outside the central circle. Handwritten on back: Mona Heywood, 1821 Federal Avenue, Pupil of Seattle Art League.
This painted image shows a woman in white with a red cross cap, blowing a trumpet, flanked by two boys dressed as pages in red and blue, holding horns with American and French flags hanging from them, at left and right respectively. Signed on back "Edwina Van Duzer."
On this poster, a black silhouette image of a soldier with a rifle walking across a small green hill in front of a large red cross. This poster does not include the words "Seattle Girls War Relief Bazaar." Signed in lower right corner "Rae Swain." Handwritten on back: Rae Swain, 101 22 Ave Yesler Way, Seattle
This sign contains text only, in red on an off-white background: Seattle Girls War Relief Bazaar, December 17-22 - For Seattle Base Hospital and Dependents of Soldiers going to the Front - December 17-22 - Material of every nature desired for the various booths - Headquarters 1214 Fourth Avenue - Telephone Elliott 5084. Pioneer Print Company, Seattle.