Air Mail: post in the blue box
Trade Catalogue
1930s (printed and published)
1930s (printed and published)
| Artist/Maker | |
| Place of origin |
Folded single sheet illustrated in colour ; 19 cm
Object details
| Categories | |
| Object type | |
| Title | Air Mail: post in the blue box (published title) |
| Materials and techniques | |
| Brief description | Trade catalogue, Air Mail, General Post Office (GPO), London, 1930s |
| Physical description | Folded single sheet illustrated in colour ; 19 cm |
| Dimensions |
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| Style | |
| Production type | Mass produced |
| Gallery label | From 'Printing a Modern World: commercial graphics of the 1930s' displayed in Gallery 102 at the V&A, 3 February – 19 August 2018
Airmail and Over the 'phone
London, about 1935
These General Post Office booklets encouraged the public to use recently introduced services such as airmail and automatic telephones more regularly. The GPO's Public Relations Officer, Stephen Tallents, employed cutting-edge graphic design to foster its image as a modern organisation. Here, the idea of innovation and efficiency is conveyed by Theyre Lee-Elliott's uncluttered layout, unadorned imagery and bold colour.
Screenprint
Designed by Theyre Lee-Elliott (1903–88) for the General Post Office
Museum no. 38041800898280 and 38041800168312(2018) |
| Object history | The Jobbing Printing Collection, a collection of ephemera held in the National Art Library (NAL) at the V&A, was developed between 1936 and 1939, when Philip James (then Deputy Keeper at the NAL) requested samples of work from high-profile companies and designers across Britain, Europe and North America. Possibly responding to an article by Beatrice Warde describing an imaginary box of ‘jobs’ that would “display noteworthy new developments in printing”, James’ intention was to create an “open reference collection of commercial typography" and "to exhibit contemporary specimens from time to time so that the trend of typographic design, both in this country and abroad, could be appraised by students of industrial art". It comprises over 6,000 items ranging from handbills to typeface specimen sheets, lettering artwork to colour proofs and brochures. Donors included the companies commissioning and issuing work: significantly the Bauhaus; BBC; GPO and Shell-Mex, but also - among others - Bamberger & Hertz; Embru; Fortnum & Mason and United States Gypsum; as well as advertising agencies like Crawfords and Draeger. Work was also received from printers such as Gebruder Fretz and Hague & Gill, and typefoundries like Bauersche Giesserei and Deberny Peignot. The list of individual designers who responded to James’ request included Havinden; Moholy-Nagy; Sutnar and Tschischold. Categories of material include architecture, broadcasting, costume, interior design, motor industry, food and drink. The bulk of the collection consists of examples from the 1930s, especially 1936 - 1939, with a few items from the 1940s. The collection is supplemented with material from the 1960s which the Library inherited from the Circulation Department of the Museum after its closure in 1978. The two groups of material stand as historic collections in their own right: the Jobbing Printing Collection is designated a 'closed collection'. |
| Bibliographic reference | Exhibited in 'Printing a Modern World: commercial graphics of the 1930s' displayed in Gallery 102 at the V&A, 3 February – 19 August 2018
As the world recovered from the economic crash of 1929–30, efforts were made to stimulate consumption and revive the global economy. In the 1930s there were advances in many areas of manufacturing and technology that reached into every aspect of daily life from construction to domestic chores to entertainment. In the UK, a government report championed the involvement of artists in design and manufacturing.
The belief that new technologies and commodities would improve daily life was a reflection of the ideas of Modernism. Many designers, and the visionaries in the companies who employed them, regarded their work as an instrument of social service. They also felt that good design and eye-catching promotional material would contribute to commercial success. In this way, the developments in materials, energy, communication, and consumer goods in the 1930s were popularised for a mass market. |
| Other numbers |
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| Collection | |
| Library number | 38041800898280 |
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| Record created | April 15, 2016 |
| Record URL |
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