Elms - One Iron in the Fire
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One Iron in the Fire is a 1929 color lithograph by Willard Frederic Elms (1900–1956), printed by Mather & Company of Chicago as part of their celebrated series of workplace motivational posters designed to boost worker morale and productivity. Elms was an art teacher at the Art Institute of Chicago, and his bold graphic style exemplifies the era’s industrial optimism.
The title draws on an old blacksmithing idiom: a smith who keeps just one iron in the fire can give it his full attention — heat it properly, shape it well. The message is timeless: focus on the task in front of you rather than spreading yourself thin.
The print carries its original rousing text: “Those whom mind their own business always have the most business to mind — Let’s Hit While it’s Hot.”
A blacksmith in an orange tank-top and beige hat hammers a red-hot horseshoe on an anvil, set against a stark black background — raw, muscular, and unflinching.
Print Details
- Large-format color lithograph reproduction of the 1929 Mather & Company original, Chicago
- 44" × 60" / Image 38" × 52.75"
- A rare and striking piece for collectors of vintage Americana, industrial art, and Depression-era graphic design.
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