SEASON’S GREETINGS
Alex Steinweiss
Alex Steinweiss: SEASON’S GREETINGS. New York: self-published, n.d. Original edition. 11.85” x 5.25” [30 x 13.3 cm] folded twice to make a 4 x 5.25 card. Printed 2-color on both sides. Blank rear panel foxed, otherwise a nearly fine example of this early Alex Steinweiss design.
4 x 5.25 card designed, printed and distributed by Alex Steinweiss in the early 1940s. Acquired from the estate of Steinweiss’ Art Squad compadre Gene Federico.
Alexander Steinweiss [1916 – 2011] grew up in Brooklyn's Brighton Beach section and attended Abraham Lincoln High School from 1930-1934. His classmates included Gene Federico, Seymour Chwast and William Taubin. Friend’s group was known as the “Art Squad” and designed school publications, posters and signs. He received a scholarship to Parsons School of Art and graduated in 1937. Through the help of Lucien Bernhard he got his first job as an assistant to Joseph Binder. This position lasted almost 3 years. After leaving Binder’s studio Steinweiss received a call from Dr. Robert Leslie about a new position at the newly formed Columbia Records.
His early work at Columbia was designed in the tradition of the great French and German poster artists — flat color fields, symbolic and metaphorical shapes as well as simple, appealing typography. He held the position of art director until 1941 when he took a job with the US Navy producing informational materials. At night he continued to freelance at Columbia. He maintained his freelance status after the war and added to his list of clients National Distillery, Schenley Distributors, White Laboratories, Print Magazine and Fortune magazine. In addition to design work he created the packaging concept for LP’s that has been in use until the advent of CD’s. Dr. Leslie again showcased Steinweiss’s work in a one man show held in 1947. During the 1950’s he also worked for London, Decca and A&R records. In 1974 he and his wife moved to Sarasota, Florida where he paints and designs posters for community and cultural events.