W. E. Berry Ltd (1888 - 2004)
Dates
- Existence: 1888 - 2004
Biography
The W.E. Berry Ltd printing company was founded by William Edward Berry in the early 1900s after taking over his father’s printing company and splitting with his business partner. The original company had been founded by William Berry in 1888 at 13 Currer Street in Bradford to print advertising posters. Business soon started to specialise in the railway and entertainment sector, specially the circus industry and over time became one of the most significant printers of entertainment posters in the UK.
In the 1920s the company started to print posters for the film industry after W.E. Berry met Fred Martin at Paramount Pictures. This developed into a lucrative partnership with Berry becoming one of only three companies in Britain to specialise in printing large format posters. Successive contracts with Disney and Columbia arrived, turning Berry into one of the leading producers and distributors of film posters in the UK. Some of the most famous posters include Star Wars (1977) and Flash Gordon (1980).
The mid of the twentieth century saw the production of Berry’s most beautiful and sought posters in the entertainment sector and the company continued experiencing success until the end of the late 1990s when it employed around 140 people, including Chief Illustrator Leon Crossley and a team of freelance commercial artists. However, by the early twentieth century Berry’s fortunes started to turn and after heavy financial losses the company went into administration in 2004, ceasing business on the 4th day of February that year.
Found in 148 Collections and/or Records:
Billy Smart's Circus Poster, c1946 - 1999
Leicester, Emerald Street Site, 15 April to 27 April. Colour illustration of baby elephant on brown background, wearing a tutu and a pointy hat with a bauble stood up on two legs with its head turned towards the viewer and holding a yellow sign under his right leg reading The World's Greatest Circus, Thrills, Spectacle, Beauty. Printed by W. E. Berry Ltd. Bradford.
Billy Smart's Circus Poster, c1946 - 1999
Clapham Common, South Side, open until 20 November. Colour illustration of baby elephant on blue background, wearing a pointy hat with a bauble and a green bowtie, seated on a circus platform in front of a small woman in circus band uniform wearing a tall red hat and black shorts, holding a poster with his trunk with the location and time of the circus, also yellow and white type. Printed by W. E. Berry Ltd Nesfield Printing Works Bradford.
Billy Smart's Circus Poster, c1946 - 1999
Birmigham, Hay Mills, 18 March to 3 April. Colour illustration of elephant on blue background, wearing a pointy hat with a bauble and a green bowtie, seated on a circus platform in front of a small woman in circus band uniform wearing a tall red hat and black shorts, holding a poster with his trunk with the location and time of the circus, also yellow and white type. Printed by W. E. Berry Ltd Nesfield Printing Works Bradford.
Billy Smart's Circus Poster, 28 October - 23 November 1968
Clapham Common, South Side. Colour illustration of elephant wearing a tutu and a pointy hat with a bauble stood on a circus platform and a mouse dressed as an elephant trainer holding a whip on blue background. Printed by W. E. Berry Ltd Bradford.
Billy Smart's Circus Poster, 23 October - 18 November 1967
Clapham Common. Colour illustration of baby elephant on starry blue background, wearing a pointy hat with a bauble and a green bowtie, seated on a circus platform in front of a small woman in circus band uniform wearing a tall red hat and black shorts, holding a poster with his trunk reading 'New 1967 Production', also yellow, blue and red type. Printed by W. E. Berry Ltd Nesfield Printing Works Bradford.
Billy Smart's Circus Poster, 15 - 20 April 1957
York, The Knavesmire. Presenting the new circorama, Rock'n'Roll elephants. Colour illustration of three elephants in Scottish, Hawaiian and Mexican costume dancing on a blue, red, orange and yellow backgound. Printed by W. E. Berry Ltd Bradford.
Billy Smart's Circus Poster, 28 March - 2 April 1960
Billy Smart's Circus Poster, 27 July - 8 August 1964
Billy Smart's Circus Poster, 10 - 12 September 1962
Billy Smart's Circus Poster, 24 October - 12 November 1960
Additional filters:
- Subject
- Animals 110
- Performers 108
- Clowning 75
- Aerialists 48
- Acrobats 25
- Equestrians 25
- Wild west 16
- Animal trainers 14
- Jugglers 12
- Menageries 12
- Skating 10
- Comedians 9
- Fire eating 8
- Pantomime 7
- Showman 7
- Variety 7
- Wrestling 7
- Dance 6
- Motion pictures 6
- Strong men 6
- Contortionists 5
- Gymnasts 5
- Musical performances 5
- Showwoman 5
- War 5
- World War, 1939-1945 5
- Dwarfs (Persons) 4
- Magic 4
- Ringmaster 4
- Ventriloquists 4
- Escape artists 3
- Fairs 3
- Fakirs 3
- Freak shows 3
- Minstrel shows 3
- Music-halls 3
- Puppets 3
- Business 2
- Family 2
- Knife throwing 2
- Music 2
- Pierrot 2
- Zoos 2
- Art 1
- Boxing 1
- Circus workers 1
- Diving 1
- Human cannonball 1
- Male impersonators 1
- Mimes 1
- Ringmistress 1
- Strong women 1
- Stunt performers 1
- Sword swallowing 1
- Trampolinists 1
- Transport 1
- Travel 1
- Wall of death 1
- World War, 1914-1918 1