Exhibition of pictures in advertising by Shell-Mex and BP Ltd., c1938 - Edward McKnight Kauffer : back cover
The catalogue to an exhibition held by Shell-Mex and BP Ltd of their advertising posters, brochures and other publicity materials that was held at the New Burlington Gallery in London. For the occasion the company commissioned one of the foremost poster artists of the day, Edward McKnight Kauffer, to design the covers to the catalogue booklet. This he did with his usual bold style - the artist and palette superimposed on a scene of industry and technology, symbolic of Shell-Mex and BP's apparent patronage of 'commercial art'.
As the introduction, by Frank Rutter, notes the company came into the the field of using graphic design as the basis of their corporate identity following the example of London's Underground and that organisation's Commercial Manager, Frank Pick. It was Pick who, arguably, helped McKnight Kauffer on to the ladder of success with his early post-WW1 posters for the Underground Group. McKnight Kauffer went on to design Shell publicity, alongside a roll call of now famous graphic designers and artists under the patronage of Jack Beddington. Beddington joined Shell in 1928 and after the formation of the joint marketing concern Shell-Mex and BP in 1932 he rose to become Director of Publicity for the company.
The book is printed by Lund, Humphries of the County Press in Bradford and the typography and layout are 'very' Lund, Humphries for that date.
The company organised a second such exhibition in 1938.
Exhibition of pictures in advertising by Shell-Mex and BP Ltd., c1938 - Edward McKnight Kauffer : back cover
The catalogue to an exhibition held by Shell-Mex and BP Ltd of their advertising posters, brochures and other publicity materials that was held at the New Burlington Gallery in London. For the occasion the company commissioned one of the foremost poster artists of the day, Edward McKnight Kauffer, to design the covers to the catalogue booklet. This he did with his usual bold style - the artist and palette superimposed on a scene of industry and technology, symbolic of Shell-Mex and BP's apparent patronage of 'commercial art'.
As the introduction, by Frank Rutter, notes the company came into the the field of using graphic design as the basis of their corporate identity following the example of London's Underground and that organisation's Commercial Manager, Frank Pick. It was Pick who, arguably, helped McKnight Kauffer on to the ladder of success with his early post-WW1 posters for the Underground Group. McKnight Kauffer went on to design Shell publicity, alongside a roll call of now famous graphic designers and artists under the patronage of Jack Beddington. Beddington joined Shell in 1928 and after the formation of the joint marketing concern Shell-Mex and BP in 1932 he rose to become Director of Publicity for the company.
The book is printed by Lund, Humphries of the County Press in Bradford and the typography and layout are 'very' Lund, Humphries for that date.
The company organised a second such exhibition in 1938.