Shell Mex / 1934
Drawing with ruler and compass and painting in body colour on card
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
The V&A Collections host a remarkable selection of work by early modernist Edward (Ted) McKnight Kauffer (1890-1954). (After the scroll, see much more here.)
Kauffer is widely recognised as a leading innovator in graphic design in 1930s Britain, and many consider him to have been the greatest poster designer of the first half of the 20th century. He was employed by Shell Mex and B.P. Ltd., which was arguably the most progressive British company in terms of its marketing profile in this period, and helped the company project an image associated with Modernism, technical advances and modern life-styles.
Learn more:
The Essential Modernist – Steven Heller, AIGA
[ ©All images copyrighted ]
T-E-L / 1933
Pencil, pastel, pen and ink and gouache on paper
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
This design, showing the three large capital letters ‘T.E.L.’, which stand for ‘tetra-ethyl lead’ (an anti-knock additive in gasoline or petrol that can prevent premature detonation in the engine) was one of the versions designed for the advertising campaign of Shell Mex and British Petroleum (B.P.) Ltd. for tetra-ethyl lead by Edward McKnight Kauffer in 1933. Amongst these design versions, only a few were used, and this was one of them.
Curtis Moffat Ltd Invitation / 1929
T.E.L. / 1933
Pencil, pastel, pen and ink and gouache on paper
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Psst… you can grab the AQ-V RSS Feed and follow AQ-V on Twitter.
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
