wiedler.ch

book (design) story #102

herbert sitterding:
150 jahre escher wyss 1805–1955

escher wyss, zürich, 1955
printer: siegfried & co., zürich (jacket: orell füssli, zürich)
size: 31 x 24 cm
designer: richard paul lohse

escher wyss, one of switzerland's oldest industrial companies and a renowned manufacturer of turbines, propellers and other machinery, published this book was at the occasion of its 150th anniversary. (this year it would be the 200th – but i guess there is not much left of the company to celebrate.)

the book was designed by richard paul lohse (1902-1988) who was in charge of most of the company's graphic design work from the late 1930s through the 1960s.

the white cloth cover bears a golden title.

there are great photos documenting the work and products.

escher wyss was proud of its welfare program for workers. they even had a holiday house in the swiss mountains (sils-maria, near st. moritz) for their employees.

i actually have personal memories of that place (pictured below on the right): when i was a child i spent a holiday there; my father had worked as an engineer for escher wyss.

the book ends with impressive portraits of employees at work.

the dustjacket shows a montage of technical drawings in red and white on a turquois background.