Description:

H. Chandler Christy Signed Original Ink Drawing of "Gee!! I Wish I Were a Man, I'd Join The Navy!" Model

An original drawing in pencil and ink by American illustrator Howard Chandler Christy (1872-1952) depicting a bust portrait of Bernice Smith Tongate (1897-1990), the woman who posed for one of Christy's most famous World War I recruitment portraits, "Gee!! I Wish I Were a Man, I'd Join The Navy!" (1917). The original drawing is signed, inscribed, and dedicated by Christy as: "To Thomas / With heartiest Good wishes / Howard Chandler Christy. 19X" along the bottom. On double-weight watermarked drawing paper. Three small isolated areas around the throat appear to be slightly abraded. The left margin is reinforced with an edge. Expected wear including minor edge darkening, else near fine. 7.125" x 9.25."

Christy was already a well-established illustrator when the United States joined World War I in April 1917, and he already had war-themed artwork experience, having served as a combat artist during the Spanish-American War. Christy's recruitment posters for the U.S. Navy, U.S. Naval Reserve, and U.S. Marines remain some of the most widely recognizable and quintessential World War I propaganda posters today. In addition to drumming up enlistment, Christy also helped the war effort by creating inspirational bond sales and victory loan posters.

The model of Christy's U.S. Navy recruitment poster was Bernice Smith Tongate (1897-1990), a 17-year-old girl who had walked into a California recruitment office and supposedly said the very words Christy later used as the poster caption. After being turned away by the Navy during that visit, Tongate agreed to pose for Christy's recruitment poster. She proved an irresistible model, especially after donning a winsome sailor cap. Tongate later became the first woman from California to become a Yeoman (F) in the U.S. Navy.

Tongate later regretted the pivotal role that she had played in promoting American recruitment, stating in an Associated Press article published on November 12, 1985: "″Dozens of people called and said that maybe my husband, or my cousin or my father might have come home if they had never seen that poster…How would you feel if after making a recommendation like that, someone joined the service and got killed? You wake up at two in the morning and think about that.'″

This item comes with a Certificate from John Reznikoff, a premier authenticator for both major 3rd party authentication services, PSA and JSA (James Spence Authentications), as well as numerous auction houses.

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