Various Photographers)

a comprehensive run (lacking one issue for 30th September 1939, volume 4, no. 13), including four special issues, Battle of the River Plate, 1939, Book of the Tests, 1953 (Cricket), Book of the Tests, 1956 (Cricket) and Festival of Scotland Programme, 1955, original paper wrappers, all but the special numbers in publishers original blue cloth folders gilt titled on the spine `Picture Post',

Picture Post, published between 1938 and 1957, was a leader in the field of journalistic and photographic techniques.  Described variously as `the most famous British magazine of modern times' and `our greatest popular weekly', the original idea for the format was from Stefan Lorant, a Hungarian, who had published the highly successful Lilliput magazine. In June 1938 Lorant had sold Lilliput to the Hulton Press, Picture Post was to be published by the same company.  The seemingly impossible mix of staunch Conservative proprietor, Edward Hulton, and the more liberal Lorant, were brought together by the general manager, Maxwell Raison, who has since been hailed as one of the most influential, but least known magazine publishers of his time.

Many prominent British and Irish writers contributed articles to the magazine including John Betjeman, E. M. Forster and George Bernard Shaw and the photographers included Felix H. Man, K. Hutton and Bert Hardy.  The advent of commercial television saw the closure of the magazine but it remains an unparalleled social history of mid-twentieth century Britain.