wiedler.ch

book (design) story #422

walter cyliax, walter kern:
archiv für buchgewerbe / sonderheft schweiz

verlag deutscher buchgewerbeverein, leipzig, 1929
size: 32 x 23 cm
photographer: walter cyliax, hans finsler
designer: helmuth kurtz, atelier fretz, zürich

a special issue switzerland was published in 1929 by the periodical archive for book design and graphic art in leipzig (see story 490). this excellent review of swiss graphic design sporting a jacket design by helmuth kurtz (1903-1959) ...

... was published by walter cyliax (1899-1945) and edited by walter kern (1898-1966).

below the facsimile of a drawing by swiss painter rené auberjonois – one of several inserts to show off the excellence of the swiss printing industry.

two early surrealist posters by herbert matter (left), and one by walter käch, a typical example of the kunstgewerbeschule zürich style.

there are numerous works by cyliax such as this camera ad, ...

... a photo of a chicago building site, ...

... and a photomontage book jacket design (below right). the typographic jacket on the left is a design by ernst keller.

here another beautifully gravure-printed photograph, this one by hans finsler, ...

also the ad section features modernist design, ...

... such as the typofoto ad by helmuth kurtz for his own studio (lower left).