Marken und Signete

The 1957 book Marken und Signete, published by Julius Hoffmann, features logos by designers such as Helmut Salden, Roger Excoffon, Anton Stankowski, Philip Grushkin, and George Salter. Images have been archived on Flickr thanks to the Herb Lubalin Study Center and Stephen Coles. Stephen’s copy (above) was missing its dust jacket (below). A whimsical...

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Sait Maden

Born on May 3rd, 1931, in Çorum, Turkey, Sait Maden started writing poetry at the age of 13 and began learning French and Ottoman at the age of 16. He learned Spanish to be able to translate Lorca from his mother tongue. From 1949–55 he studied at IDGSA Painting Department in Istanbul, graduating from Bedri Rahmi Eyüboğlu Workshop. As a side job between...

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The Spirit of Ecstasy

Lord Montagu of Beaulieu was one of Britain’s motoring pioneers. As founder and editor of The Car Illustrated magazine, he employed an illustrator, Charles Sykes, and a private secretary, Eleanor Velasco Thornton. In 1909, Lord Montagu commissioned Sykes (who was also a sculptor) to make a mascot for his Rolls-Royce Silver Ghost. Sykes produced a statue...

Aug 2021

The story of the Coca-Cola logo

It was May 8th, 1886, in Atlanta, Georgia, when Coca-Cola came to life. Local pharmacist Dr John Stith Pemberton created the syrup. John Stith Pemberton (1831–1888) John carried a jug of his syrup down the street to Jacobs’ Pharmacy where it was mixed with carbonated water, deemed tasty, and sold from a soda fountain for five cents a glass. ...

Jul 2021

Woody Pirtle

In the ten years between 1978 and 1988 Woody’s firm produced some of the most celebrated graphic design work of the time. That work included identities and marketing material for Baylor University Medical Center, The Dallas Museum of Art, TGI Friday’s, Dallas Opera, Diamond Shamrock Corporation, Centex Homes, and Simpson Paper Company, to name a few....

Jun 2021

Chornobyl Exclusion Zone and its “vanishing” logo

On April 26th, 1986, events at Chornobyl Nuclear Power Plant changed the world (the Chernobyl mini-series was a dark, fascinating watch). Many people know about the tragedy, but far fewer know that the cities of Chornobyl Exclusion Zone are gradually disappearing, being destroyed by neglect and absorbed by nature. This means that over time no one will...

Mar 2021

Tony Spaeth, corporate identity pioneer, 1934–2021

It was through the Identityworks.com website that I became familiar with Tony. His site (now only through archive.org) was a trove of logo and identity news and resources until around 2014 when the domain was transferred to someone else. He passed away last month at the age of 86 in his home in Rye, NY. Tony studied architecture at Princeton and received...

Feb 2021

LogoArchive Akogare

In the words of Richard Baird, the idea behind the latest issue of his LogoArchive zine is, “to evoke — through materials, processes, form, content and ‘atmosphere and ceremony’ — ‘akogare,’ a deep feeling of respect and admiration for those I look up to, and a feeling of never being able to reach the same level. Richard looks up to publications such...

Jan 2021

Man and His Mark, 1970

Man and His Mark was the title of Impressions Number Three from February 1970. Each Impressions issue was given a specific theme, and some of Australia’s most revered designers were commissioned for the project. This issue featured trademarks and symbols designed by the late American graphic designer Les Mason (1924–2009) who moved from Los Angeles...

Dec 2020

LogoArchive.Now

It’s the first project from designer Rich Baird to invite submissions. Submit your logos to @LogoArchive.Now by tagging an Instagram upload with #LogoArchive_Now (for marks designed and applied between 2000–2020). A brief description from Rich: “Currently it is myself working on this but I hope to have a panel in the coming months. Of course, there...

Dec 2020