09-025.
Found on August 28, 2009 in Urbana, IL.
Alvin Lustig
The Language and Thought of the Child book cover
Meridian Books
USA, 1955
4.25 x 7.25 x 0.75"
Bound paper
Facsimile signature and manufacturer's mark
After yesterday's somewhat abbreviated visit to the library's annual book sale, I decided I'd go back to see what I missed that first time around. The answer? A lot.
The problems with going to the opening preview night of one of these sales are many. First, book dealers from miles around swarm on the sale and make for a shoulder-to-shoulder push-fest. Second, the books are piled in boxes four and five levels deep. With so many bodies and so many boxes it's virtually impossible to see everything, so I often will go back on the first public day for a less stressful chance to browse.
In any case, the gem of the lot was this Alvin Lustig cover from 1955. This was designed later in his career, after he all but abandoned the illustrative style of his earlier works for a pure typographical solution. To say the least, Lustig's typography is strong ... which is impressive given the hodgepodge of typefaces he utilizes in a single design. Four separate faces play together in perfect unity in this example, which is common for his work from the mid-1950s.
Today's finds included not only this great Alvin Lustig cover, but two more by Paul Rand and another single example by Lustig's wife Elaine. if you'd like to see the work of Alvin's spouse (and I suggest you should), I recommend clicking over to my Flickr set of her work as well as the Alvin & Elaine Lustig design group. Really wonderful stuff from a supremely talented husband and wife team!
Scott commented: I'll bet it looks like my example here, doesn't it?
I'm not aware of any contemporary reprints, so it sounds like you have an Alvin Lustig original, Dawn. It could possibly be a second printing (mine is), but it'd say so on the page with the publisher's information. In either case, it'd be considered "original" Lustig. Mine is pretty tattered shape, as you can see ... but also happens to be the title I spent most on so far, at around $30. Great, great, great find! Congrats!
- 10.21.09
- Website
Danw commented: Hi Scott, Today I picked up a hardcover of Paul Bowles book _The Sheltering Sky_. The DJ artwork is by "Lusting". I'm assuming it's Alvin. The book is in MINT condition. Could it be a reprint? It says on the inside "Published in the United States by the Belgrave Press New York" and underneath that it says: in italics: New Directions Books are published by James Laughlin" This is no ISBN on it, but I have seen reissues of classics before that keep entirely in the original era, so I was curious about this being one. The back of the DJ lists all the hot selllers of 1949 and at the bottom says: "Published by NEW DIRECTIONS, Norfolk Connecticut. What do you think: is it a modern-day reprint? It sure is pretty! Thanks for any info you might give me. Best, Dawn