La Typographie

This first volume of La Typographie, on the techniques of book and graphic arts, was published in Paris in 1930 by Henry Babou under the direction of Marcel Valotaire. This cover photo by Jacques Evers is one of 30 photogravure plates of his work. I first discovered this beautiful French journal in the Wolfsonian archive at the University of Florida Digital Collections, however the title page seen just below was sourced here. 

These beautiful photogravure prints seen above of Evers photos are the only images available from the Wolfsonian Archives, however I was delighted to learn the entire book is made available from the International Monotype Memory Project (IMMP.) In their link to a black & white PDF (which appears to be from a reproduction), you can download this entire book complete with text (in French), photos and illustrations on the production of a fine press book;)

One Stop Print Shop

After nearly 40 years of printing, my dear friend Jules Remedios Faye of Stern & Faye Printers, has decided to considerably downsize her letterpress studio and would like to pass the baton (or the composing stick in this case) on to Myrna Knode, her spirited and hardworking apprentice. In order to purchase and move this legacy collection of type and printing equipment for her Expedition Press, Knode has recently begun a Kickstarter campaign to raise funds. With just over 3 weeks to go she is closing in on her goal, but requesting additional help to secure this one-stop print shop opportunity. I predict that Knode and her Expedition Press will be going places someday soon.

A Glimpse of Modernist Type Design in Germany

This set of seven type specimen sample brochures, released by the Schriftguss A-G foundry in Dresden in the late 1930s, are not only great examples of modernist design, but a nice record of foundry types being created in Germany at that time. Many of these fonts such as Helion, Diamant, and Duplex appear just as modern today as when they were released in 1937. The entire lot of these four-page type specimen brochures are available here.

Luc Devroye's extensive informational archive of typography lists a number of the type designers associated with the Schriftguss foundry, and select pages from specimen catalogs. Also included is the original Schriftguss A-G logo.

At the end of WWII in 1945, Schriftguss and two other type foundries merged and were incorporated into the state-run East German foundry, VEB Typoart. The Typoart designers were a dedicated and passionate group who enjoyed a certain amount of artistic freedom, and chiefly responsible for developing typefaces for East German publishers. Shortly after the reunification of Germany in 1990, Typoart was sold into private hands who eventually dissolved the company in 1995. Unfortunately, the copyright status of many of the Typoart font designs remains unclear, but you can read a fascinating account at PingMag of their legacy and some independent efforts by various groups, including Typoart Friends who wish to further a campaign to document and revive these fonts and credit the individual designers.   

A Toy Story Legend

Via Silly Putty History

Peter Hodgson, Sr., (1912-1976) who starred in this 1951 Silly Putty TV commercial, was just another ad man down on his luck, writing copy for a small toy store catalog in New Haven, Connecticut when he first launched the idea of marketing a blob of silicone goop as a toy. The plastic goop was actually a failed experiment from General Electric scientists in New Haven who were looking to develop a synthetic rubber. Soon the non-toxic goo became the topic of conversation at a cocktail party where Mr. Hodgson first learned of it. 
     "Everybody kept saying there was no earthly use for the stuff, but I watched them as they fooled with it. I couldn't help noticing how people with busy schedules wasted as much as 15 minutes at a shot just fondling and stretching it" Hodgson later recalled. 
     After placing his first ad in the 1949 toy catalog, Hodgson borrowed $147 to package and fill orders. Silly Putty soon became an overnight success. Sales of the seemingly useless goo packaged in a plastic egg quickly expanded into 22 other countries, reaching over $5 million in annual sales. Mr. Hodgson was living the dream. 

Via Click Americana

"The Real Solid Liquid" as Silly Putty came to be known, was an American toy story legend simply because Mr. Hodgson viewed the useless silicone blob through a new set of eyes. From trash to treasure—he didn't see it as a failed experiment—he saw it as "fun for the whole family." It's all just context. With a logo of putty-like lettering, and packaging of a faux wood-grained television set, Silly Putty was ready for prime time. 
     For many of us, it was also our first introduction to printmaking. Who couldn't resist pulling impressions of favorite comic characters and stretching them until they snapped? This toy was magic—it could do anything!

Via 4|CP

Though seemingly harmless...it was not. I'm sure I wasn't alone to find I was the victim of another bad haircut after falling asleep with Silly Putty—only to wake up with it embedded in my hair. Or to leave it to rest on a desk in the sun, and return later to find it in a melted puddle of putty on the floor. 

Via Flickr

If you find yourself off to an Easter egg hunt this weekend, I hope you find a brightly-colored plastic egg with a blob of goop inside. Just don't eat it.

20th C Italian Pen Nib Packaging

Most of these small pen nib packages are printed boxes not much larger than a matchbox. Others are labels attached to small boxes. There are many standouts here, but this last particular design really does send me into orbit. 

Via: Kallipos 

A Velveteen Rabbit

For sale 

Velveteen rabbit. Needs good home. Ears permanently flopped and has obvious signs of being well-loved. Smartly attired, yet missing red buttons and one torn suspender. Reads at four year-old level, and comes with own book. Inquire within.

Selling 20th Century Design

A 1959 Czechoslovak How to Paint brochure designed in a very modern tone by an anonymous designer. 
Source: 108 Buddhas

Brochure of Képes Könyv design examples by Hungarian designer, Johann Tábor. Published in a 1930 issue of Gebrauschsgraphik.
Source: From the collection of David Levine.

The Chamber of Commerce of Czechoslovokia published this 1954 foreign trade guide in English. It was designed by Milan Hegar. 
Source: 108 Buddhas

A colorful Dutch brochure designed by Willem Hendrik Tweehuysen (1921-1981), for De Gouden Spin. Undated, but most likely from the 1960s. The text written in english playfully becomes part of the woven fabric. This is part of a much larger collection of Tweehuysen's 1950s and 60s design work which will be at auction on May 13th, 2014. 
Source: Burgersdijk & Niermans

These two cover designs from the early 1930s, advertising BMW Motorcycles, each sport a spare Bauhaus style of design and typography typical of this era. More on "selling speed" and the art of motorcycle marketing can be found at The Vintagent. It's a great read.  

Pranks and Pratfalls

With April Fools Day today, I have to parade my old fake pencil and spilled ink pratfall once again. I never tire of it. The "Pirate Pencil" is from The Lovely and Strange Etsy shop, where you can find an eclectic collection of dime store novelties from the 1950s. "Lucky Tat-oos", Re-lighting Candles, and my favorite, the Hindu Magic Book are all there! I've already dropped some coins on all of these. Half the fun is the old toy, but the packaging artwork, lettering/type and printing, with the liberal interpretation of registration alignment is the best. My fake joke rubber pencil I once owned as a child is long lost, but the "Pirate Pencil" covers for it nicely. To accompany it, I dragged my "trick ink" bottle down from the Letterology attic again. It always makes me smile ; )