Jolly Old Saint Nicholas

Merry Christmas!

Steven Heller explains how Santa Claus came to be known for his snowy white beard and red suit by looking back at the illustrators who gave life to this now iconic image.

The Santa above is by Raymond Pratt from the 1952 "What's New" by Abbott Laboratories.

Dig Steven Heller's: ’Twas the Icon of Christmas.

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HMK

Gracias: AIGA and ElectroSpark for the groovy Santa image.

A Digital Archive of Vintage Television Commercials

Sweet! Just in time for the premier of Mad Men season 3 next Sunday!

Check out AdViews, a digital archive of thousands of vintage television commercials dating from the 1950s to the 1980s.

These commercials were created or collected by the quintessential "Mad Men" ad agency, Benton & Bowles or its successor, D'Arcy Masius Benton & Bowles (DMB&B). Founded in 1929, Benton & Bowles was a New York advertising agency that merged with D'Arcy Masius McManus in 1985 to form DMB&B. Major clients included are Procter & Gamble, Kraft, Schick, Vicks, and Post, among others. Commercials will be added in phased batches over several months in 2009.

The commercials are a part of the D'Arcy Masius Benton & Bowles Archives found at the John W. Hartman Center for Sales, Advertising & Marketing History in Duke University's Rare Book, Manuscript, and Special Collections Library.

And I really digs the fact that you can either view these via the Duke University AdViews website or stream, download and subscribe in iTunes!

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HMK

Gracias to Design Observer.

Hamilton Wood Type Printing Museum

The Hamilton Manufacturing Co. traces its roots back to the very first wood types made in the United States. Darius Wells produced the first American wood type in 1828; his business was reorganized into Wells & Webb, then acquired by William Page, later passing back to the Wells family, and finally sold to Hamilton sometime before 1880. The product of this consolidation was a type specimen book issued in 1900, Hamilton’s Catalogue No. 14, which offers a good survey of American display typography of the nineteenth century.



Open to the public is the Hamilton Wood Type Printing Museum in Two Rivers, Wisconsin, a collection of 1.5 million pieces of wood type maintained by volunteers of the Two Rivers Historical Society. For at-home viewing, the calendar printer Unicorn Graphics has just launched their Web Museum of Wood Types and Ornaments, which offers a sundry collection of scans and photographs of American wood types — including every page of the great Catalogue No. 14.

Wow, you can almost smell the ink!

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HMK

Thanks to Hoefler & Frere-Jones

Steelmark to Steelers

History & Origin of the Pittsburgh Steelers Logo

The six time Super Bowl Champion Pittsburgh Steelers have not always been the Steelers. Originally founded as the Pittsburgh Pirates by Arthur (Art) Joseph Rooney on July 8, 1933, the Steelers changed their name in 1940 in an attempt to generate some fan support and involvement. Fans were encouraged to send their suggestions to the team; several nominated the winning name Steelers to reflect the city's primary source of employment, winning season tickets for their suggestion.

The colors were originally chosen to promote the attributes for steel: yellow lightens your work; orange brightens your leisure; and blue widens your world. The logo's color concept was later amended to represent the three materials used to produce steel: yellow for coal; orange for iron ore; and blue for steel scrap.

Check out the full article by Albrecht Powell: History & Origin of the Pittsburgh Steelers Logo.

And did you know that those three diamonds enclosed within the circle are technically know as hypocycloids - diamonds with inward-curving edges? Now you do!

Great game last night!

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Gracias to the Michael Bierut over at Design Observer.

HMK

Tickets To A Better Tomorrow

The inauguration of the president and vice president of the United States is a ceremonial tradition which dates back to George Washington, representing a peaceful transfer of power from one individual to another.

Above, the 1933 Roosevelt-Garner Inauguration Ticket, part of a collection of Inaugural ephemera from the Office of Senate Curator's Inaugural Collection. There's also inaugural programs, inaugural luncheon menus and programs, floor plans and seating charts, badges, ribbons, press credentials, historic engravings, and photographs.

I love this black and white wood engraving of the Inauguration of President Lincoln, in front of our Capitol, at Washington, D.C., still under construction.

May God Bless President Obama and the USA. And may God Bless us all and give us the faith, strength and courage to face the challenges before us. Here's to a better world, a better life and better tomorrow for all of us here on the good earth!

Peace!

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HMK

50 Years Of The Peace Symbol

A protestor wears the CND symbol on his sunglasses during a 'Ban the Bomb' march from the Atomic Weapons Research Establishment in Aldermaston to Trafalgar Square, 18th April 1960. Photograph: John Franks/Hulton Archive.

The designer behind the CND sign would be spinning in his grave - now half a century old, it is more often seen on catwalk models than protest marchers.

The British artist Gerald Holtom, creator of the CND sign, penned a solemn note to Hugh Brock, editor of Peace News, before its first public outing on a London peace march in 1958. "I was in despair," he wrote, explaining how the symbol came about. "Deep despair. I drew myself: the representative of an individual in despair, with hands palm outstretched outwards and downwards in the manner of Goya's peasant before the firing squad. I formalised the drawing into a line and put a circle round it."

Read the entire Clare Coulson piece over at 50 Years Of The Peace Symbol.

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HMK

Thanks to David Gianatasio at The Guardian UK.

Herman Miller: Discovering Design

Discovering Design is a destination for individuals to learn about the evolution and history of mid-century American modernism—the people, products, places and ideas that formed an important design era. The target audience is broad and ranges from the architecture and design communities to students and potential customers of Herman Miller furniture.

Dig it: Herman Miller.


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HMK

Thanks to the smart folks at Communication Arts.

San Antonio Spurs Logo History

Here's the original San Antonio Spurs logo when they were playing at the San Antonio Convention Center Arena from 1977 thru 1989.

And thank the Lord of Texas we're no longer using this logo, which was adopted by the Spurs during the amazing David Robinson era when they played at the Alamodome.

In a lame effort to inject more color into the team's classic black-and-silver uniform scheme they came up with this multicolored turd. Which quite possibly may have very well influenced the controversially lame and equally sucky 2012 Olympics Logo.

Fortunately, the not-so-masculine extra Miami Vice colors were not incorporated into their uniforms, which, to this day, remain our classic, first class, lean and mean, no nonsense and soon to be four time NBA Championship black and silver.



Our current logo was introduced nationally at the start of the 2003 season. And I've got to say, this is a logo any Spurs fan can wear proudly without having to worry about that garishly nasty, clashing pink and teal.

Go find your favorite team and lot's more sports logo history over at Chris Creamer's wicked cool 2012 Sports Logo site.

Game 2 of the NBA Finals start at 8pm tonight!

Go Spurs!

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HMK

History Of Branding

It's a drag this site won't work in Safari, but it's still a nice little site dedicated to the lowdown and history of the worlds most powerful brands.

Go now: >>> The History Of Branding.

Have a great week!

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HMK

Logo Design History

Although far from perfect this is a good start to a great idea.

Check out: Logo Design History.

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HMK