Illustration - Number II, Volume IV, New Series. Issued by André, Sleigh & Anglo Ltd., London, c1918
There is actually quite a lot behind this journal cover and in someways, where to start? The journal "Illustration" was issued by the London based printing company of André, Sleigh & Anglo Ltd., a company that had been formed under this name in 1914 having previously traded Menpes Printing & Engraving. This in turn had been a renaming of the printing and engraving business formed by George W Jones in c1890 - Jones had left in 1908 and the press's art director Menpes had taken the concern over.
The year after this journal was published ASA was absorbed by the Sun Engraving Company, formed in London in 1911, and the new concern concentrated business at ASA's plant in Watford. Sun Engraving went on to become one of the largest and best known printers in the UK based on the large rotary photogravure process they mastered - they printed the vast majority of Britain's magazines and catalogues building on both earlier companies speciality. Indeed this edition of "Illustration" contains numerous examples of such work as it was "a magazine devoted to the craft of mechnaical reproduction, thereby dealing with Art and Workmanship in Printing, and Science in Advertising and Commerce".
The name most associated with Sun was the founder, Edward Hunter. This printer by trade and astute businessman, had close links with printing experts such as Gerald Meynell and so was able to work with artists and designers such as MacDonald "Max" Gill who undertook much work for Sun both in terms of commissioned work for books, magazines as well as signage for the company buildings. Indeed this edition of Illustration contains work by Max Gill.
An artist and craftsman closely associated with Max Gill was Edward Johnston, the calligrapher who had designed London Underground's new typeface in 1916, commissioned by Frank Pick, who would also commission Max Gill to design the now famous pictorial maps issued by the Underground Group. The link to Johnston is here at the top of the image; the masthead for "Illustration" was designed by Johnston.
If that wasn't enough we should turn our attention to the "Perfect Puss" shown here - signed by H Brodzky. Horace Ascher Brodzky (30 January 1885 – 11 February 1969) was an Australian-born artist and writer who moved to London in 1908 and subsequently studied at the City and Guilds of London Art School. Here he became connected with some of the most avant-garde artists and designers and his early works are associated witht he Vorticist movement. In 1915 he moved to New York but returned to London in 1923. He was one of the pioneers of linocut illustartions and, I suspect, this cover is a reproduction of one intended to show off not just Brodzky's work but André, Sleigh & Anglo's expertise.
Illustration - Number II, Volume IV, New Series. Issued by André, Sleigh & Anglo Ltd., London, c1918
There is actually quite a lot behind this journal cover and in someways, where to start? The journal "Illustration" was issued by the London based printing company of André, Sleigh & Anglo Ltd., a company that had been formed under this name in 1914 having previously traded Menpes Printing & Engraving. This in turn had been a renaming of the printing and engraving business formed by George W Jones in c1890 - Jones had left in 1908 and the press's art director Menpes had taken the concern over.
The year after this journal was published ASA was absorbed by the Sun Engraving Company, formed in London in 1911, and the new concern concentrated business at ASA's plant in Watford. Sun Engraving went on to become one of the largest and best known printers in the UK based on the large rotary photogravure process they mastered - they printed the vast majority of Britain's magazines and catalogues building on both earlier companies speciality. Indeed this edition of "Illustration" contains numerous examples of such work as it was "a magazine devoted to the craft of mechnaical reproduction, thereby dealing with Art and Workmanship in Printing, and Science in Advertising and Commerce".
The name most associated with Sun was the founder, Edward Hunter. This printer by trade and astute businessman, had close links with printing experts such as Gerald Meynell and so was able to work with artists and designers such as MacDonald "Max" Gill who undertook much work for Sun both in terms of commissioned work for books, magazines as well as signage for the company buildings. Indeed this edition of Illustration contains work by Max Gill.
An artist and craftsman closely associated with Max Gill was Edward Johnston, the calligrapher who had designed London Underground's new typeface in 1916, commissioned by Frank Pick, who would also commission Max Gill to design the now famous pictorial maps issued by the Underground Group. The link to Johnston is here at the top of the image; the masthead for "Illustration" was designed by Johnston.
If that wasn't enough we should turn our attention to the "Perfect Puss" shown here - signed by H Brodzky. Horace Ascher Brodzky (30 January 1885 – 11 February 1969) was an Australian-born artist and writer who moved to London in 1908 and subsequently studied at the City and Guilds of London Art School. Here he became connected with some of the most avant-garde artists and designers and his early works are associated witht he Vorticist movement. In 1915 he moved to New York but returned to London in 1923. He was one of the pioneers of linocut illustartions and, I suspect, this cover is a reproduction of one intended to show off not just Brodzky's work but André, Sleigh & Anglo's expertise.