The stunning chess pieces above are part of the highly collectible 1962 Austin Enterprises Extruded Aluminum Chess Set. It is one of two 1960s aluminum chess set designs by Austin E. Cox, made by Alcoa (Aluminum Company of America). The sets can easily fetch $1,000–$4,000 unless you have the good fortune to find one at a thrift shop. Originally it came with a stylish blue chess board framed with aluminum and blue plexiglass window and wooden storage box which was purposed to hang on the wall as an object d’art when not in use.

To learn more about this Austin Cox Chess Set and see additional images including the metal hallmark to look for on the bottom of the pieces, check out the blog of Jesse Gordon, aka Finding the Grail and David Hart, aka The Invisible Agent.

Above and below are images of the 1970s Space Age Universum Chess Set by Arthur Elliott for Anri in Italy. Found at the Mid-Century Modernist. This alpine maple + black walnut set is another highly collectible/high cotton item. Mr. Elliott was an artist and designer. He was one of the earliest animators for Disney Studios. (Photos by Stewf)

And lastly, another gorgeous chess set by Arthur Elliott below. The Staunton Chess Set is a sharp contrast to the Universum with its short, stout forms. Beautiful wood inlay details on both the chess pieces and the box. Also found at the Mid-Century Modernist. (Photos by Stewf)

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Editor’s note:

This post was originally published in June of 2009. (The first image was sourced from an ebay listing that is no longer active.) As AQ-V has been fortunate to receive a huge leap in visitors this past year, I have decided to pull favorite bits here and there from the archives to present to hopefully new eyes.

You may have noticed the number of posts has been slimmer this week. Repeat issues with the AQ-V shared server have put a monkey wrench in being able to consistently publish this week. Hopefully things will iron out soon as I have several new posts queued up.

Thank you always for your readership!
–Amy

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Postcard, bookmark and labels
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Super lovely branding work by Jacopo Leone (aka Etcetera) in Italy for Helmé furniture design, accessories and clothing store. See more of the brand here.

[ All work & images © Etcetera ]

Christmas leaflet

Wrapping paper based on random letters from the logo

Brochure for wedding gift ideas

Branded chocolates
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A nice looking illustration series by recent graphic design graduate Joe Oliver in the UK. This project, completed as student work, entailed creating a printed illustrated supplement based on the Science Museum’s ‘Ten Scientific Objects that Changed the World’. See more of this illustration series here and here.

My concept for this brief was to represent what each object has led to in our modern world. Rather than simply portray each object, I wanted to show how they have each made the world a safer and easier place to live.

The 10 illustrations were accompanied by a short paragraph of information and bound into an A5 book secured with a covering belly band to be distributed with the relevant issue of New Scientist Magazine.

[ All work & images © Joe Oliver ]

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Colonia 1961 & 1977
Manifesto
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My friend and fellow designer/illustrator Laura Ottina (aka Animalarium) in Italy recently introduced me to the splendor of Modernist Italian designer/artist Sergio Ruffolo (1916–1989). I was immediately taken by the bold graphic styling of his work, a trademark of so many genius Italian designers. Read Laura’s excellent feature on Ruffolo for much more information and to see additional brilliant graphics. I couldn’t resist posting a few of my own favorites above and below.

All images copyright ©

Pennarello Nero & China a Punta di Penna 1972

Rai 1968 & 1970
Copertine Annuario Rai

Auguri di Sergio Ruffolo
Clever series of holiday greeting cards with each animal holding a piece of mistletoe

06. Bruco 1975
Sculpture
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Editor’s note:

This post was originally published in November of 2009. As AQ-V has been fortunate to receive a huge leap in visitors this past year, I have decided to pull favorite bits here and there from the archives to present to hopefully new eyes.

Thank you always for your readership!
–Amy
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Absence

Inside a fifty year old flat, stays a desk from seventies and a newspaper of 1992 on it. I find my daily horoscope. Aries (March 21–April 19) “Today, you may intrude into someone’s personal space without knowing. Try not to change anything in his life even he doesn’t live.”

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Beautifully haunting image series, ‘Absence’ by Metehan Özcan in Turkey, possesses a quiet ambiance of humanity and design. Follow the name link to see more of this collection plus Mete’s other striking projects.

My work focuses on transformation of space and the self-consciousness
from urban scale to interiors. I am mostly interested in traces of daily life,
which reveals the alienation of people and their surrounding, questioning
space and existence.

Born in 1975, living at İstanbul and Ankara
Studied interior design and visual communication design

[ All images © Metehan Özcan ]

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I wish had more to tell you about the artist behind these incredible illustration works for healthcare company, Hoffmann–La Roche Germany. Painter and graphic artist Alfred Haller was German and sparse biographical data informs he lived from 1921 to 1957, a mere 36 years. The works I have seen by him rank as my favorites from the time period. In addition to illustrations for Hoffmann–La Roche pharmaceutical prospectuses below, above are two remarkable poster commissions for the Barley Circus in Germany. The circus images are attributed to Alfred and Gerta Haller. Knowing the depth of knowledge of Aqua-Velvet’s readers, I’m hopeful some of you may be able to chime in with something further on the Hallers.

>> Alfred Haller flickr set

Sources: Gebrauchsgraphik No. 9, 1956 / Gebrauchsgraphik No. 8, 1955 / Graphis Annual 56/57
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Sandi Vincent grew up in the bay area of California surrounded by mid-century modern architecture and other influences responsible for her affinity for the period and its pop style, including her early exposure to The Monkees, The Avengers and Gerald McBoing-Boing. Sandi now resides in Portland and is a board member of a local nonprofit preservation group, the Mid-Century Modern League. In her day job at a community foundation, she sports the web/social media/print materials coordinator title.

Follow Sandi on Twitter > @SandiV

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Czech May Day
Prague, Czech Republic / Photographer: Frank Scherschel, 1956
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Above and below is a collection of almost twenty monumental photographs documenting largely militaristic May Day (aka International Workers Day) celebrations at the height of the Cold War with the exception of one photo from West Berlin. These remarkable images are the work of notable LIFE magazine photographers Frank Schershel, Howard Sochurek, Stan Wayman, Paul Schutzer, Ralph Crane, James Whitmore and Nat Farbman.

Eastern Bloc countries such as the Soviet Union and most countries of central and eastern Europe that were under the rule of Communist governments held official May Day celebrations in every town and city, during which party leaders greeted the crowds. Workers carried banners with political slogans and many companies decorated their company cars. The biggest celebration of May 1 usually occurred in the capital of a particular communist country and usually included a military display and the presence of the president and the secretary general of the Party. In Poland, since 1982, party leaders led the official parades, and in 1990, May 1 was renamed “State Holiday.” In Hungary, May Day was officially celebrated under the Communist regime, and remains a public holiday.

>> Read more at Wikipedia

[ See more at LIFE photo archives / ©LIFE ]

Unidentified Russians watching May Day parade
Moscow, Russia / Photographer: Howard Sochurek, 1958

Russian missile on display during annual during May Day parade
Moscow, Russia / Photographer: Stan Wayman, 1963

Picture of Nikolai Lenin on Central Telegraph Building during May Day celebration
Moscow, Russia / Photographer: Stan Wayman, 1963

Czech May Day
Prague, Czech Republic / Photographer: Frank Scherschel, 1956

Marshall Rodion Y. Malinovsky during May Day celebration
Moscow, Russia / Photographer: Stan Wayman, 1963

Czech May Day
Prague, Czech Republic / Photographer: Frank Scherschel, 1956

Celebrating May Day Parade
Prague, Czechoslovakia / Paul Schutzer, 1963

(Lord) Montgomery (Nikita) Khruschev Meeting May Day Preparations
Moscow, Russia / Photographer: Howard Sochurek, 1959

Russian military parade during the May Day celebration
Moscow, Russia / Photographer: Howard Sochurek, 1959

Czech May Day
Prague, Czech Republic / Photographer: Frank Scherschel, 1956

As thousands marched by the grandstand,
Josip Broz Tito saluted during the May Day parade
Belgrade, Yugoslavia / Photographer: Nat Farbman, 1946

Moscow streets and buildings illuminated during May Day celebration
Moscow, Russia / Photographer: Stan Wayman, 1963

May Day in Berlin
Photographer: Ralph Crane, 1953

May Day Celebrations in Moscow
Photographer: James Whitmore

“Berlin Remains Free” – May Day in West Berlin
Photographer: James Whitmore

May Day in Berlin
Photographer: Ralph Crane, 1953

Russian military parade during the May Day celebration
Moscow, Russia / Photographer: Howard Sochurek, 1959

Russian military parade during the May Day celebration
Moscow, Russia / Photographer: Howard Sochurek, 1959

[ All images via LIFE photo archives / ©LIFE ]
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Brilliant modular branding design by multi-disciplinary studio Atipo in Spain for Animodul children’s clothes and toys. A basic one-quarter circle form is the organic building block for the Animodul logotype and almost endless animal graphics, the heroes and heroines of their product line. If only these guys came in adult sizes. Don’t miss the ever-changing cast of animal characters in the remarkable stop motion promo animation below. And visit Atipo’s website via the name link to see more of their stunning portfolio.

[ All work & images © Atipo & Animodul respectively ]


Watch on vimeo

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Avion – Limited edition archival print / shop
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Mixed media Boston artist Leah Giberson creates pure optical poetry—a visual language of beautiful economic compositions and frequent suburban nomenclature, all painted with vibrant hues. (If you have a penchant for green like myself you are in the right place.) Leah, a former art director and interactive designer, is most recognized for her extracted suburban subject matter. In addition to these works, I have included samples of her lovely camper subjects outside a suburban environ. You will want to visit her shop to see much more. A list of places to purchase Leah’s original paintings online plus brick and mortars can be found here in her shop profile.

My current body of work falls somewhere between the worlds of photography, painting and collage. I begin with photographs of seemingly ordinary and mundane scenes, which I then paint directly upon to distill and reveal the visually poignant moments that exist all around us, but are often overlooked.

There is a quiet anxiety and loneliness in these images of isolated houses, empty chairs, abandoned pools and vacant streets. Shadows loom from unknown/unseen sources, horizon lines become uncomfortably close, people are absent and geographic clues are obscured. Despite all this uneasiness, there is also a sense of bravery or at least a blind and determined optimism.

[ All work & images © Leah Giberson ]

As They Were – Limited edition archival print / shop

As Good as it Gets – Limited edition archival print / shop

New Neighbors – Limited edition archival print / shop

Desert Camper two – Limited edition archival print / shop

Willerby – Limited edition archival print / shop

On Deck – Limited edition archival print / shop

Westlake Green – Limited edition archival print / shop

Wrapped up – Limited edition archival print / shop

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For those of you in the London vicinity, you will want to check out the LWL70 print exhibition opening tomorrow, June 17th, at the graphic design-centric Kemistry Gallery in Shoreditch. (The gallery is an extension of Kemistry design and branding agency.)

LWL (Little White Lies) is an independent movie magazine that features “cutting edge writing, illustration and photography to get under the skin of cinema.” So a great pairing here between LWL and the gallery.

Learn more about the exhibit and where to see the full set of 22 prints and purchase online if you are not able to attend the show…

// LWL70 Exhibit: Kemistry Gallery, June 17th through July 2nd, 2011 //

To celebrate Francis Ford Coppola’s Apocalypse Now adorning the cover of our latest issue, Little White Lies is hosting an exhibition of specially commissioned illustrations inspired by classic films from one of cinema’s most aesthetically fruitful eras, re-imagined in the style of Little White Lies cover artwork.

LWL70 sees iconic films and faces of the past reinterpreted and restyled by iconic illustrators of today. Illustrators include Siggi Eggertsson, Ian Wright, Malika Favre, Craig Redman, Von, Autumn Whitehurst and Jules Julien.

Throughout the exhibition, prints will be available for purchase in the gallery and online.

[ All works & images © to their respective owner ]

Star Wars print by Stefan Glerum

Annie Hall print by Craig Redman

Eraserhead print by Ian Wright
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