Czech graphic design from the 20s and 30s was an amalgam of European modernism and Czech austerity. The printed artifacts shown here are reserved yet eye-catching. There is a soothing proficiency that underscores the Laissez–faire aesthetics of each piece. Regrettably, these are not signed, but the designers are virtuosos of simplicity. For more Steven Heller, check out Citizen Designer: Perspectives on Design Responsibility, one of the many Heller titles available at MyDesig

They called him "the Einstein of Sex". The German doctor who went (quite literally) where no other had gone before in his research, founding the massive Institut für Sexualwissenschaft, or Sexology, just before the Nazis eclipsed bohemian Berlin and its costumed, sexually liberated splendour. His na

George Reid took over 700 photographs of London over the course of a decade, from 1920 to 1933. He died before his work was completed, though, with the portable, consumer cameras that became more than commonplace after his death, he would have been happy to know his work is still continuing to this day. London Hippodrome, Cranbourn Street © George Davison Reid. London Pavillion Theatre and Coventry Street from Piccadilly Circus © George Davison Reid. Sunset over the Upper Pool from Tower Bridge © George Davison Reid. The Thames towards Waterloo Bridge and St Paul’s Cathedral © George Davison Reid. Trafalgar Square from the steps of St Martin’s-in-the-Fields © George Davison Reid. Trafalgar Square looking south © George Davison Reid. Visitors on the steps of the Tate Gallery © George Davison Reid. Water trough near St Clement Danes church, Aldwych © George Davison Reid. Whitehall from Parliament Square © George Davison Reid. Whitehall © George Davison Reid. Blackfriars Bridge and Bankside from the north bank of the Thames © George Davison Reid. Children beneath Southwark Bridge © George Davison Reid. Crowds outside ‘The Newspaper House’, Fleet Street © George Davison Reid. Daily Telegraph building, Fleet Street © George Davison Reid. Entrance to Blackfriars Station, Queen Victoria Street © George Davison Reid. Fleet Street © George Davison Reid. Forecourt of Victoria Station © George Davison Reid. Fresh Wharf from London Bridge © George Davison Reid. Houses of Parliament from County Hall © George Davison Reid. Houses of Parliament from Lambeth Pie © George Davison Reid. J Lyons Corner House on Strand and Craven Street © George Davison Reid. King William IV Street and Charing Cross Hospital from Strand © George Davison Reid. Looking southwest from Lower Custom House Stairs © George Davison Reid. Ludgate Hill © George Davison Reid. Market porters in Drury Lane, Covent Garden © George Davison Reid. Middle Temple Lane © George Davison Reid. Mill Bank and the National Gallery from the Vauxhall foreshore © George Davison Reid. Monument Street near Billingsgate Market © George Davison Reid. Sailing barge at Greenmoor Wharf rubbish depot, Bankside © George Davison Reid. St Paul’s Cathedral from Ludgate Hill © George Davison Reid. St Paul’s Church, Covent Garden © George Davison Reid. Strand © George Davison Reid. Strand © George Davison Reid. Sunrise over the Upper Pool and Hay’s Wharf © George Davison Reid. Multi-storey horse stables near Southwark Bridge © George Davison Reid.

A fine example of the cutting edge typographical design that flourished in Germany in the late 1920s and early '30s - this poster designed by Walter Dexel (1890 - 1973) who was a highly regarded artist, designer and typographer associated with the Cubist and latterly the Constructivism.

Leone Lane (1928)

Bought in Bordeaux, France, a hand tinted picture postcard of a glamourous woman - circa 1920's

Imperial Airways was the early British commercial long-range air transport company, operating from 1924 to 1939 and serving parts of Europe but principally the British Empire routes to South Africa, India and the Far East, including Malaya and Hong Kong. There were local partnership companies; Qantas (Queensland and Northern Territory Aerial Services Ltd) in Australia and TEAL (Tasman Empire Airways Ltd) in New Zealand. Imperial Airways was merged into the British Overseas Airways Corporation (BOAC) in 1939, which in turn merged with the British European Airways Corporation in 1974 to form British Airways. Here, below is a collection of 23 wonderful vintage posters of Imperial Airways from between the 1920s and 1930s.

Poster for Mikhail Verner and Pavel Armand's SEP by Vladimir and Georgii Stenberg. (click to open a 300 dpi descreened scan) The Stenberg Brothers on Wikipedia. The catalogue of the 1997 MoMa exhibition (sadly out of print). Click here to view all installments to date.

Imperial Airways was the early British commercial long-range air transport company, operating from 1924 to 1939 and serving parts of Europe but principally the British Empire routes to South Africa, India and the Far East, including Malaya and Hong Kong. There were local partnership companies; Qantas (Queensland and Northern Territory Aerial Services Ltd) in Australia and TEAL (Tasman Empire Airways Ltd) in New Zealand. Imperial Airways was merged into the British Overseas Airways Corporation (BOAC) in 1939, which in turn merged with the British European Airways Corporation in 1974 to form British Airways. Here, below is a collection of 23 wonderful vintage posters of Imperial Airways from between the 1920s and 1930s.

- WERKMAN, Hendrik Nicolaas (Dutch 1882 - 1942). The Next Call 6, October / November 1924. 'Druksel' magazine and collage with a film poster clipping, printed by hand and published by Werkman, Groningen, from the edition of c. 40 copies, comprising covers and pages with text by Werkman on the reverse of 'Plattegrond van de kunst en omstreken'. Folded as issued, edges and corners slightly worn, some foxing spots, slightly discoloured and creased, a tiny hole at the cross fold, overall in very good condition. Very rare.

As a graphic designer and lover of all things art deco, I also adore advertising art of the era in a minimialist style. Check out these gorgeous match box covers from 20s and 30s Japan. I’d l…

In this article, we'll take a look at how did the Swiss Style graphic design develop and everything there's to know about the international typographic style.

The LEF is more than a symptom, more than an expression of a fresh culture or of post-revolutionary man. It is a courageous attempt to give art an important social function in a world where it̵…

Illustration by Fitz Boynton 1930’s

A complete set of postcards from the 1923 Bauhaus exhibition in Germany has been acquired by the Museum of Modern Art

The enterprise evolved from the Vienna Secession, founded in 1897 as a progressive alliance of artists and designers. From the start, the Secession had placed special emphasis on the applied arts, and its 1900 exhibition surveying the work of contemporary European design workshops prompted the young architect Josef Hoffmann and his artist friend Koloman Moser to consider establishing a similar enterprise with backing from the industrialist Fritz Wärndorfer....The Wiener Werkstätte was then founded in 1903 by Moser and Hoffmann, both of whom had been key members of the Vienna secession - began operations in three small rooms; it soon expanded to fill a three-story building... The primary goal of the company was to bring good design and craft into all areas of life within the fields of ceramics, fashion, silver, furniture, and the graphic arts..Ceased operation in 1932..Though the workshop lasted only 30 years, it enjoyed major commercial success, with outlets in Karlsbad, Marienbad, Zurich, New York, and Berlin. It also garnered designs from many of the leading artists of the epoch, including Gustav Klimt, Oskar Kokoschka, and Egon Schiele. Consider purchasing this exquisite - Austrian Monkeys porcelain Lamp from the 1920's inthe large Model No. 285 or medium Model No. 302 manufactured by the Weiner Kunstkeramische Werkstätte (WKWW) or "Vienna Workshop" (Vienna School of Ceramics) - made in Vienna, Austria..The Wiener Werkstätte was a production community of visual artists in Vienna, Austria bringing together architects, artists and designers - was in production from 1903 to 1932.. Each rare, porcelain collector piece sculptor is hand-painted in a cream color featuring a pair of monkeys intertwined sitting on a gray base for the large and a heather blue base for the medium - slight coloring coloring along the faces on the larger one - some coloring on the hands on the medium one - each having yellow/amber glass eyes.. The Wiener Kunstkeramische Werkstatte and Austria marks as well as various numerals, presumably model numbers - Impressed Austria along with the manufactured mark plus numbers 285 and 3..two clean drilled holes for wiring on the larger lamp - one clean drilled hole for wiring on the medium lamp.. Approximate measurements are as follows: The larger lamp - 12.25 inches tall with a 6.5 inch by 5.5 inch base.. Pictures are #'s 1-7.. The medium lamp - 10 inches tall with a 4.5 inch by 3.25 inch base.. Pictures are #'s 1-3 and 8-10.. Light signs of previous use and ownership should be considered consistent with age...Previously owned and used but still in nice condition - free of chips, cracks, restoration - craquelure to the porcelain glaze (crazing) as shown in the pictures - one nick on elbow shown in picture #6.. Indoor and outdoor pictures were taken for you to view all angles on this lovely porcelain piece..Any questions or additional pictures, please email me..

Navegando por internet he encontrado en Código Visual esta auténtica joya del diseño. En las décadas de 1920 y 1930, Japón adoptó nuevas formas de diseño gráfico apoyándose en el cambio social que …

Edward McKnight Kauffer was one of Britain’s most highly influential 20th Century Poster Artists and Graphic Designers. Beginning his professional life as a painter, Kauffer soon embraced poster art as a form of visual communication, enabling the public to view Modern Art through the display of his posters on the streets. In the early 1900s, Kauffer lived in San Francisco and worked as a bookseller whilst studying at Art School in the evenings. At the shop he sparked up a good friendship with a regular customer who expressed keen interest in his paintings. Joseph McKnight, a professor at Utah University, saw great promise in Kauffer’s work and in 1912 offered to sponsor him. McKnight loaned him enough money to travel to Paris to continue his studies at Académie Moderne. In respect, Kauffer dutifully adopted ‘McKnight’ as his middle name. En-route to Paris, Kauffer got the opportunity to see the Armory Show in Chicago in March 1913. This show introduced America to everything of importance in European post-impressionist painting at the time: Duchamp, Cezanne, Picasso, Gauguin, Matisse, Van Gogh, and Kandinsky. It was so unlike any art America had previously seen. The show opened Kauffer's eyes to the European masters and undoubtedly, proved influential on his work throughout his life. Before reaching Paris, Kauffer visited Munich. Here, he was introduced to Poster Art’s contribution to a city and the potential for it to be recognised as an art form by both art enthusiasts and the general public alike. For Kauffer, Ludwig Hohlwein’s (1874-1949) work was a clear example of this. His work adorned the streets of Munich and certainly helped initiate the use of typography within Kauffer’s paintings. While studying in Paris, Kauffer was able to view works by many artists, and took an interest in the various styles and techniques on show. However his time there was cut short by the outbreak of WWI. Reluctant to return to America immediately, he travelled with his then wife, Grace Erhlich, to Britain, where Kauffer felt immediately at home. Once in London friends introduced Kauffer to Frank Pick, Publicity Manager for London Underground Electric Railways. The relationship lasted for the extent of Kauffer’s career in Britain, with Kauffer producing a tremendous 140 posters for London Transport. In 1915 Pick commissioned four landscape posters; ‘Oxhey Woods’, ‘In Watford’, ‘Reigate; Route 60’ and ‘North Down’s.. Maintaining a very painterly style in these posters, it is possible to see influences of Van Gogh, most notably so in Oxhey Woods, and also of Japanese colour woodcuts in ‘In Watford’. Kauffer rapidly developed from traditional poster art towards what is recognised today as graphic design. ‘Winter Sales are best reached by Underground’, 1922, is one of several remarkable posters Kauffer designed for Pick as part of a Winter Sales set between 1921-24. It revives his early influences from Vorticist and Japanese woodcuts, its abstracted forms of raincoats and umbrellas and its diagonal impression of wind and rain together create an intelligent and eye-catching pattern that would have equal rights if displayed at any reputable art gallery instead of on an Underground poster-hoarding. By this point he was a well-known figure and finally thought of himself as a graphic artist rather than a painter. Kauffer regularly visited Paris, and through these visits, French book illustration, theatre, painting and poster design all began to influence his work. On a visit in 1923, Kauffer met Marion Dorn, an American Interior Designer, for whom he left his wife and daughter. His relationship with Marion was personal and professional, they collaborated on a number of projects including; interiors for friends’ offices, and most notably a range of rugs and the interior design, symbol, luggage label and brochure for the Orient Lines flagship modern ocean liner. Kauffer’s jazzy-style was really coming into its own during the mid-twenties. Kauffer’s most widely seen poster, aside from those for London Transport is,Eno’s Fruit Salts, First Thing Every Morning (1924). Its bold, dynamic style and use of bright colours proved to be very successful. In addition to posters he designed many stage decorations for London theatre shows. Theatre’s influence is prominent in his posters for London Transport at the time. At the onset of WWII Kauffer reluctantly returned to New York. This is part 1 of 3-part post on the works of E. McKnight Kauffer: 1915 In Watford 1915 Oxhey Woods published by Underground Electric Railway Company 1915 Reigate published by Underground Electric Railways 1915 The North Downs published by Underground Electric Railways 1916 Self promotional poster artwork in Colour Magazine 1919 Daily Herald poster 1919 The London Group poster 1920 Epping Forest published by Underground Electric Railways 1920 Hainault Forest by Motor Bus published by Underground Electric Railways 1921 Winter Sales are best reached by Underground 1922 Poster for The Westminster Press 1922 Winter Sales are best reached by Underground 1922 Winter Sales version 2 1923 Cover for Commercial Art Magazine 1923 Museum of Natural History poster 1923 Reigate Priory Park By Motor Bus 1923 The Heaths, Surrey No. 178 for London Buses 1923 Advertisement for W. G. Briggs London Transport poster 1924 Advertisement for Shell 1924 Advertisement for Shell 1924 Poster for Eno's Fruit Salt 1924 Winter Sales are best reached by Underground 1925c Shell Aviation Fuel advertisement 1927 Metropolis 1928 BBC Handbook cover 1928 Press advertisement for Chrysler 1928 Press advertisement for Eno's Fruit Salt 1928 Press advertisement for 'Commercial Art' 1929 Cover for The Studio Magazine 1929 Illustration for "Elsie and the Child" by Arnold Bennett 1929 Whitsuntide published by Underground Electric Railways 1930 Illustration from Marina by T.S. Eliot 1930-31c Leaflet for Fortnum & Mason 1931 Illustration for Triumphal March by T.S. Eliot 1931 Play Between 6-12, The Bright Hours published by London Underground 1931 Poster for Shell 1931c Leaflet for Curwen Press 1932 Chiswick Works brochure for London General Omnibus Co. Ltd. 1932 London Underground poster 1932c Stonehenge poster issued by Shell Oil and Petrol 1933 Art Now 1933 BP Ethyl Controls Horse-Power © BP Archive 1933 Book cover 1933 Go Great Western to Cornwall 1933 London Underground poster 1933 Poster for exhibition of own watercolours 1933 Whitsuntide Holiday for London Underground 1934 Book cover design

The 1920s meets Mid-century Modernism with this elegant, chic, upright, rounded typeface. Upper Case characters work perfectly for Headers and Titles, while the lowercase has been designed to work well in body copy. Perfect for when a design calls for a little panache. Cobalt 27 typeface family offering an array of different weights, alternates, and bolder headers with a total of 307 glyphs. Individual Fonts are available as stand-alone purchases. How to use Cobalt 27 BOLD - designed for primary headers, display or larger applications. MEDIUM - to be used as in place of Bold when a lighter version is needed, or a secondary header when combined with other weights. REGULAR - Can be applied to all applications - mainly designed for lighter weight body and header treatments. TEXT - similar to Regular but with shorter ascenders and descenders where shorter leading is required.

This special 56-page issue of Futurismo was published on the occasion of F.T. Marinetti’s visit to Trentino, Italy. The cover was the inspiration for Peter Saville’s well-known cover for the New Order album, Movement. Note the ‘S’ sits on the baseline rather than letting