DESIGN AND PAPER No. 20
P. K. Thomajan [text] and Henry N. Russell
[layout and design]
[Office of War Information] P. K. Thomajan [text] and Henry N. Russell [layout and design]: DESIGN AND PAPER No. 20. New York: Marquardt & Company Fine Papers, n. d. [c. 1945]. Original edition. 120 x 200 mm. Printed Artcraft White stapled wrappers. 16 pp. Elaborate graphic design throughout. Interior unmarked and very clean. Out-of-print. Final leaf loose and laid in, otherwise a fine, fresh copy.
4.75 x 7.75 softcover booklet with 16 pages of propaganda pieces by the Office of War Information. From “The House Organ: Design and Paper” by P. K. Thomajan from Print Vol. 5, No. 3, 1947: “With Number Twenty, Design and Paper entered into an even more advanced phase, going in for graphic interpretations of contemporary shapers of patterns of thought and action. This issue contained a concise summary of the O. W. I. and its wartime propaganda operation. Major pieces of literature were reproduced accompanied by details dealing with their individual objectives. This issue was hailed as a documentary item of formidable significance.”
The first six of Marquardt’s DESIGN AND PAPER series of promotional booklets were portfolios showcasing a variety of artists. From Number Seven on, each issue was devoted to an individual artist. The DESIGN AND PAPER series published original booklets designed by Ladislav Sutnar, Saul Steinberg, Raymond Loewy, E. McKnight Kauffer, Erik Nitsche, George Krikorian, Georges Wilmet, Ugo Mochi, Walter Westerveldt, Clarence John Laughlin, and others. Since the booklets promoted Marquardt papers, the design and printing of each issue met the highest production standards of the day.
From “The House Organ: Design and Paper” by P. K. Thomajan from Print Vol. 5, No. 3, 1947: “The idea for this typographic gem started with Edward Alonzo Miller, then associated with The Marchbanks Press. He suggested to Oswald F. Marquardt exactly 10 years ago, the project of issuing an attractive quarterly presenting fine artwork on fine papers, thereby inspiring the increased usage of the latter. Mr. Marquardt promptly O.K.’d the idea and ever since has been O.K.’ing more and more ambitious issues.”
“The early issues were devoted to impressive assemblages of trademarks, title pages, woodcuts, specimens of hand lettering and distinctive typefaces by prominent designers. These were printed on varying shades of antique papers, wire-stitched and thread-tied for that extra touch.”
“Distribution is directed principally to printers , art directors, trade press, and important executives. In addition, many copies go to non-customers, such as instructors of journalism and the graphic arts, who use copies as noteworthy specimens for classroom discussion.”