Quick Snaps: Four Freshmen

Here’s to the new section called “Quick Snaps” This one didn’t get to come with me. 12″ LP album cover for the American Male Vocal Band Quartet, Four Freshmen. Loved the color overlays and composition. It looks very Max Huber.

Designer: Unknown  |  Year: 1956  |  Photos: Javier García

Alvin Lustig Bach Vivaldi

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Here’s another Haydn Society record from my all time favorite, Alvin Lustig. This cover is very simple yet very different from the others. The circles make it look very modern and minimal while at the same time it helps reiterate the two composers distinction by changing its color.

Hope you all enjoy this as much as I do and stay tuned for more…

Designer: Alvin Lustig   |   Year: ?   |   Photos: Javier García

Norman S. Ives Typographic Bach

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I’ve been holding this one up for quite a bit as my blog was turning into an LP archive but after switching up a bit here it is:

For those who don’t know. Norman Ives was a graphic designer former student of Josef Albers at the Yale University where he also began teaching afterwards.

During the mid-to-late 1950s he worked with Herbert Matter on numerous design projects, including work for the New Haven Railroad, and Knoll International.

He is mostly known for his collages, wall reliefs and silkscreen prints.

This cover here features his love for letterforms. This was probably some of his earlier work since it was produced in 1955 and he received his MFA degree in 1952. In any case this is merely one of the coolest record covers I have.

The Paper is off white and the letters are overprinted in a cool gray color and white ink which looks very nice against the paper. The letters aren’t perfectly shaped. If you get close they appear to have been drawn by hand almost like paper cut out. The only straight lines are on the letter A and H. Lots of white space. A great modern typographic approach to a classical record.

About Norman S. Ives:
Bio on Francisfrost
AIGA Constructions and Reconstructions Exhibit
Bio on Ewardcella

Design: Norman S. Ives   |   Year: 1955   |   Photos: Javier García

Product Info:
Haydn Society Album Covers, 1955
Copyright 1955 by the Haydn Society, Inc.
Boston Massachusetts
Cover Design by Norman S. Ives

Alvin Lustig – Mozart Grid

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So following up the Vivaldi cover, here’s to honor one of my all time favorite designer Alvin Lustig. I just love the grid, composition and colors used for this. It all seems to be a very good modern representation of classical music.

Design: Alvin Lustig   |   Year: 1952   |   Photos: Javier García

Product Info:
Haydn Society Album Covers, 1952
Copyright 1952 by the Haydn Society, Inc.
Boston Massachusetts
Cover Design by Alvin Lustig

Alvin Lustig’s Vivaldi Album Cover

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This is an awesome album cover of the Italian eighteenth-century composer Antonio Vivaldi that I was able to find from the amazing American Modern Design Pioneer, Alvin Lustig. It’s a bit dusty with a couple stains but considering its age its understandable. I was immediately drawn to it for its shapes, then I saw the printed signature and immediately payed for it at an old stack of records from an antique store.

I love the rhythm and the relationship between the backgroung and typography arrangements. The color is amazing. Not sure if this was originally printed on a white paper but the aged tone gives it a nice touch.

Design: Alvin Lustig   |   Year: 1952   |   Photos: Javier García

Product Info:
Haydn Society Album Covers, 1952
Copyright 1953 by the Haydn Society, Inc.
Boston Massachusetts
Cover Design by Alvin Lustig