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book (design) story #367

alfred altherr sen.:
kunstgewerbliche arbeiten aus den werkstätten der gewerbeschule zürich

eugen rentsch verlag, erlenbach-zürich / münchen, 1926
printer: werkstätten der fachschule für buchdruck, zürich
size: 32 x 25 cm
photographer: ernst linck, zürich
designer: (unknown)

in 1926 the zürich school for applied arts published this impressive volume with reproductions of works made by students in the courses.

the blue cloth cover is filled by long lines of bold sans-serif capitals, ...

... repeated on the back in french.

the same printing block is used for the jacket, printed dark red on brown packing paper, however with additional text set in elegant bodoni filled in between the blocky title lines.

no designer is credited, but the impressum states that the book was typeset and printed in the school's workshop. so one can guess that one of the teachers oversaw the design: ...

... maybe ernst keller (1891-1968), an influential personality in the departments of graphic design and printing who taught an entire generation of zürich-trained graphic designers, richard paul lohse among them. keller often used blocky sans-serif capitals. the staff list at the end of the book includes other designers/teachers such as walter käch or johannes kohlmann who also might have been involved in the design of this book.

the introductory text is by alfred altherr sen. (1875-1945), the school's director in the years 1912-1938. the label on the front endpaper identifies this copy as "edition for teachers and students". laid in were a couple of leaflets, dated december 1927, stating that this book sold well – "however mainly abroad" – and announcing the availabilty of the few remaining copies to students and teachers at a "significantly reduced price".

the page design is not yet touched by the then just emerging "new typography" style, but it is neat in a no-frills werkbund way, ...

... as is the reproduced student work.

the postcard below seems influence by "de stijl", ...

... while some of the particularly beautiful textile works remind of paintings by modern artists like paul klee or, well, ...

... sophie täuber-arp who ...

... was a teacher in the textile department of the zürich school at that time.