{"product_id":"jos-schlitz-brewing-co-vintage-lager-beer-poster-1888","title":"Jos Schlitz Brewing Co. Vintage Lager Beer Poster, 1888","description":"\u003cp\u003e\u003cem\u003eThe whole nation enjoys Jos Schlitz Brewing Cos’ Milwaukee lager beer\u003c\/em\u003e, an anonymous advertising poster of 1888, turns a convivial drink into a piece of national theatre. Two men sit at a patterned table while a woman in a vivid red bodice and white apron serves foaming mugs of lager. Above them, the emphatic declaration “The Whole Nation Enjoys” establishes the message before the eye reaches the scene itself: Schlitz beer is presented not as a local speciality, but as a pleasure shared across America.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eThe poster belongs to a period when brightly coloured commercial printing was giving advertisers new ways to compete for attention. Late nineteenth-century breweries increasingly sold an identity alongside their beer, associating their names with sociability, modern urban life and an expanding national market. Here, the Milwaukee company combines clear branding with a cheerful tableau that is both accessible and aspirational. The anonymous designer does not dwell on brewing or ingredients; instead, the product is made desirable through company, ceremony and the raised glass.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003ch3\u003eA closer look\u003c\/h3\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eThe figures form a compact triangle at the centre of the composition. At lower left, a darkly dressed, bearded man lifts his mug in a toast, his black clothing providing a strong tonal anchor among the brighter colours. Opposite him, a second man holds his own glass and turns towards the server. Her upright figure joins the two seated drinkers, while the tray and white apron make the act of service immediately legible. Red, cream and deep black are set against softer greens, greys and golds, with the amber beer acting as a warm link between the characters.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eSmall details give the gathering its persuasive liveliness. The beer catches highlights along the glass, and pale froth rises above the rims; the tablecloth is ornamented with circular motifs and intricate decorative flourishes. Subtle modelling in the men’s suits lends them weight, while the softer folds of the apron stand out against the server’s saturated red clothing. Their expressions differ, too: the toasting man is openly animated, whereas his companion appears more measured, creating a scene that feels observed rather than mechanically repeated.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eBehind the group, finely drawn foliage frames a distant monumental building, introducing depth without distracting from the central exchange. The architecture remains subordinate to the figures, almost atmospheric, while the greenery softens the transition between the social scene and the poster’s graphic borders. Typography supplies the final structure. The large slogan occupies the upper register; “Jos Schlitz Brewing Co.” reinforces the brand nearby; and the lower-left decorative label reads “Compliments of the Season P.M. Ohmeis \u0026amp; Co.” Text and illustration are carefully tiered so that slogan, social promise and company name can be understood in quick succession.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003ch3\u003eContext and significance\u003c\/h3\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eCommercial posters such as this occupied an increasingly crowded visual culture of shop displays, streets and printed ephemera. Colour, scale and memorable wording were practical tools, but they also encouraged designers to treat advertising as spectacle. This poster’s thin ornamental border, layered lettering and richly coloured figures demonstrate how a promotional message could borrow the compositional ambition of narrative illustration while retaining the directness required of an advertisement.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eIts most revealing claim is geographical. Although the scene is intimate—a table, three people and a round of drinks—the phrase “The Whole Nation Enjoys” gives it expansive reach. Milwaukee remains central to the beer’s identity, yet the imagined audience extends far beyond the city. The result is a particularly vivid document of late nineteenth-century consumer culture: playful and sociable on the surface, but carefully constructed to make one brewery appear familiar, modern and nationally admired.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eChoosing the right size and finish\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eArtwork can feel intimate at smaller sizes and dramatically more architectural at larger ones. Use the room preview, model image and size guide to see how the proportions and scale will work in your space.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eIf you need an exact size, specialist framing or help planning a larger display, \u003ca href=\"\/pages\/contact-us\"\u003eask our workshop for advice\u003c\/a\u003e.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe model in the listing images is holding the 36x20in (90x50cm) version of this art print.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eWhere personalisation is available, you can add a short title or dedication, or one considered visual detail. \u003ca href=\"\/pages\/map-personalisation\"\u003eSee examples of personalised artwork\u003c\/a\u003e.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eChoose Original to retain the colour and character of the source artwork, or Aged for a warmer, more antique appearance. \u003ca target=\"_blank\" href=\"\/pages\/sepia-aged-maps\"\u003eSee examples of our Aged artwork\u003c\/a\u003e.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eEvery piece is produced to archival standards using fade-resistant pigment inks on acid-free matte art paper. Choose an art print, framed art print or framed canvas using the finish options above.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eFramed art prints use crystal-clear optical acrylic for excellent clarity, lower weight and safer delivery than glass. Each piece arrives professionally framed and ready to hang.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eSelected artworks can be produced at statement sizes up to 3 metres (10ft). Custom sizing and \u003ca target=\"_blank\" href=\"\/pages\/custom-framing\"\u003especialist framing\u003c\/a\u003e are also available. If the exact option you need is not listed, \u003ca target=\"_blank\" href=\"\/pages\/contact-us\"\u003econtact our workshop\u003c\/a\u003e.\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"The Unique Maps Co.","offers":[{"title":"12x18in (30x45cm) \/ Art print","offer_id":67650044559751,"sku":null,"price":39.0,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":true},{"title":"12x18in (30x45cm) \/ Framed art print","offer_id":67650044592519,"sku":null,"price":105.0,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":true},{"title":"12x18in (30x45cm) \/ Framed canvas","offer_id":67650044625287,"sku":null,"price":110.0,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":true},{"title":"14x24in (36x60cm) \/ Art print","offer_id":67650044658055,"sku":null,"price":63.0,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":true},{"title":"14x24in (36x60cm) \/ Framed art print","offer_id":67650044690823,"sku":null,"price":150.0,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":true},{"title":"14x24in (36x60cm) \/ Framed canvas","offer_id":67650044723591,"sku":null,"price":160.0,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":true},{"title":"24x36in (60x90cm) \/ Art print","offer_id":67650044756359,"sku":null,"price":83.0,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":true},{"title":"24x36in (60x90cm) \/ Framed art print","offer_id":67650044789127,"sku":null,"price":240.0,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":true},{"title":"24x36in (60x90cm) \/ Framed canvas","offer_id":67650044821895,"sku":null,"price":250.0,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":true},{"title":"28x45in (70x114cm) \/ Art print","offer_id":67650044854663,"sku":null,"price":115.0,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":true},{"title":"28x45in (70x114cm) \/ Framed art print","offer_id":67650044887431,"sku":null,"price":460.0,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":true},{"title":"28x45in (70x114cm) \/ Framed canvas","offer_id":67650044920199,"sku":null,"price":460.0,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":true},{"title":"31x50in (79x127cm) \/ Art print","offer_id":67650044952967,"sku":null,"price":210.0,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":true},{"title":"31x50in (79x127cm) \/ Framed art print","offer_id":67650044985735,"sku":null,"price":875.0,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":true},{"title":"31x50in (79x127cm) \/ Framed canvas","offer_id":67650045018503,"sku":null,"price":820.0,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":true},{"title":"33x60in (84x150cm) \/ Art print","offer_id":67650045051271,"sku":null,"price":305.0,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":true},{"title":"33x60in (84x150cm) \/ Framed art print","offer_id":67650045084039,"sku":null,"price":1400.0,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":true},{"title":"33x60in (84x150cm) \/ Framed canvas","offer_id":67650045116807,"sku":null,"price":1300.0,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":true},{"title":"44x70in (112x178cm) \/ Art print","offer_id":67650045149575,"sku":null,"price":515.0,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":true},{"title":"44x70in (112x178cm) \/ Framed art print","offer_id":67650045182343,"sku":null,"price":1875.0,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":true},{"title":"44x70in (112x178cm) \/ Framed canvas","offer_id":67650045215111,"sku":null,"price":1750.0,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0257\/0344\/8638\/files\/file_383ee895-3359-4dbe-bb5c-aa2aa2d08599.jpg?v=1791405625","url":"https:\/\/uniquemaps.co.uk\/products\/jos-schlitz-brewing-co-vintage-lager-beer-poster-1888","provider":"The Unique Maps Co.","version":"1.0","type":"link"}