The Yeoman of the Guard c.

**Poster Analysis: The Yeomen of the Guard**

### Artist / Designer
**Designed and printed by Stafford & Co. Ltd.** (in-house design team).
No individual artist is credited on the poster, which was standard practice for this printer. The style is bold, simplified, and highly graphic — characteristic of early 20th-century British theatrical posters.

### Location
**United Kingdom** (Nottingham, England).
Produced for the British theatrical market, most likely for tours or revivals of the Gilbert & Sullivan opera.

### Printer / Publisher
**Stafford & Co. Ltd.**
Netherfield, Nottingham, England.
This is the same prominent lithographic printer that produced the previous “Sorrows of Satan” poster.

### Topic / Subject
**Theatrical poster** for the comic opera **”The Yeomen of the Guard”** (also subtitled **”or The Merryman and His Maid”**) by **W.S. Gilbert & Arthur Sullivan**.
The central figure is **Jack Point**, the jester (merryman), depicted in his traditional motley costume.

### Date / Age
**Circa 1910s–1930s** (most likely **1920s–early 1930s**).
Stafford & Co. used this bold color-block style during the interwar period. The opera itself premiered in 1888, but this poster is for a later revival or touring production.

### Type / Format
– **Theatrical / Opera poster**
– **Color lithograph** with strong silhouettes and flat color fields
– Classic British “one-sheet” theatrical poster format

### Business Relationships
– **Printer**: Stafford & Co. Ltd., Netherfield, Nottingham
– **Client**: Likely the D’Oyly Carte Opera Company or a provincial touring company licensed to perform Gilbert & Sullivan works.

### Text Content
**Main Title:**
**THE YEOMEN OF THE GUARD**

**Subtitle:**
**OR “THE MERRYMAN AND HIS MAID”**

**Printer credit (bottom left):**
**STAFFORD & CO., LTD., Netherfield, Nottingham. 58 L 7**

### Visual Description
A dynamic, stylized illustration of a jester (Jack Point) in a green and pink motley costume with a feathered cap. He is seated dynamically, holding up a puppet version of himself on a stick, with a large shadow cast behind him. The design uses bold outlines, limited colors (gold, deep blue, green, pink), and strong silhouette effects — very eye-catching and theatrical.

### Historical Context & Additional Information
– **”The Yeomen of the Guard”** (1888) is one of Gilbert & Sullivan’s more serious and romantic operas, set in the Tower of London during the 16th century.
– The jester character **Jack Point** is central to the story and often featured prominently in marketing.
– Stafford & Co. produced many iconic posters for Gilbert & Sullivan revivals. These posters are highly collectible today among G&S enthusiasts and theatre memorabilia collectors.
– The reference number “58 L 7” was likely an internal stock or order number used by the printer.

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This poster pairs nicely with the previous *Sorrows of Satan* poster — both are quality examples of **Stafford & Co.** theatrical lithography from the early 20th century.

Would you like me to compare the two posters, research value estimates, or analyze any other posters you have?