10-005.

Found on February 13, 2010 in St. Joseph, IL.

Saul Bass

Matchbook cover designs
The Ohio Match Company
USA, c. 1964
1.5 x 4.25" each
Offset printing on paper
Unsigned

When Kate and I returned home from a short antique shopping trip this afternoon, I had a nagging feeling about some matchbooks I passed up. When digging through the bin, I thought a couple of the books seemed like some Saul Bass designs I saw on Grain edit not too long ago. But I couldn't remember for certain and eventually passed them up.

That was a big mistake.

So when I learned that they indeed were Bass designs, I hopped in the car and drove 20 miles back to the shop ... a 40-mile round trip journey all because of two matchbook covers. But two important matchbook covers.

Bass designed the Hunt-Wesson logo in 1964, and it is hypothesized that he created this series of matchbook cover designs at about the same time. A set of 8 was found in 2008, and the online design community went abuzz with excitement. So now I have my goal cut out for me: to round up the other 14 Bass designs and complete my new collection. I could take the easy way out and just drop the $300 one particular Esty seller is asking for a complete unopened box ... but I think I prefer the thrill of digging through boxes at junk shops and flea markets. If you ask me it's not the destination that's important, but the journey.